Dealing With Destiny
by Mac-alicious
Summary: Melanie Eldens was an average teenager with a special ability. When that special abitlity turns her life upside down, it brings her right into the world of none other than Harry Potter himself. AU Do not own HP.
1. Decisions, Decisions

A/N: This is the first chapter of the actual story. This would be the 'present' of the story, while many of the chapters after this will be flashback like, in a way. Please read and review. This is my first Fanfic and I'd like to have some feedback so I can know how I'm doing. Thanks a bunch!

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter or associated characters/story lines. I do however own Melanie, her friends, family and the plot of this fic. Yay me!

**Chapter One:**

**Decisions, Decisions**

I stood in the entryway of the building and took a deep breath. It was meant to be calming but it turned out to be quite the opposite. Like I was bracing myself. Perhaps I was. In a sense every step I took after that moment in time would have a large deciding effect on my life. I was taking a huge risk doing what I was about to do and it might turn to be the best thing I might ever do in my life...Or the worst mistake. But it was too late to turn back, right? I was there. I had made my choice. I couldn't turn back now, could I?

I watched as people passed by me, each person headed in a different direction, and wondered how hard it was for each of them to decide to go wherever they were headed. Many people sent irritated glares my way for semi-blocking their way into the building and muttering things about 'how rude people can be.' I sigh softly. I feel completely helpless. Pathetic even. This is what my life was coming to.

I had never been indecisive before. I had never doubted my instincts before. That was Kaya and Cam's job. Never before had I wanted to turn and run back to the 'safe' decision. I've never been inclined to the 'safe' choice. I always worked outside the lines, outside the proverbial box or whatnot. I have never been content with ordinary, trivial, planned out, 'safe' things. They just don't satisfy me. I've always been spontaneous. I've always been someone to just drop things and do something crazy on whim. Never questioning my choices. Never turning back. So why was I questioning myself now?

This was exactly what I had been telling myself not to do. Questioning your instincts, your heart never did any good. I sighed again. This was going nowhere. I was going nowhere. My eyes fluttered shut as I tried to take everything into perspective. This was literally the last chance I had to change my mind, to turn back. But did I truly want to do that? Why couldn't I just do this? Why couldn't I just take the chance?

This was the deciding point in my life. My life could go two ways. This moment was the fork in the road for me. Two completely different paths connected on this moment...this fleeting moment that was about to pass me up. I had to make my choice. It was now or never...

Now I know how Kaya must feel with every teensy-tiny decision she has ever had to make. Granted the risk factor on making the wrong choice never weighed so much on her future. Or in some cases maybe it did without her even knowing. It was just so hard. The choices were sprawled out in front of me: the beaten trail or the unknown path...I could discovery something new about myself, about my life or turn back to the safety of the norm...

All I could think about was how I had made it to this moment. How much I had to work to get here. Everything I had done. I wondered how I had lost my once confident, impulsive self. Then I found my answer. I could trace it to the exact day, to the minute, even to the very second where my life started to change...


	2. Happy Birthday?

A/N: Short and sweet...Please Review! Thanks.

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter or associated characters/story lines. I do however own Melanie, her friends, family and the plot of this fic. Yay me!

**Chapter Two:**

**Happy Birthday?**

It was my fifteenth birthday, just over a year before I stepped into that building and my life came to a grinding halt to wait for my final decision. I was fifteen. Fifteen. Does it even hit home how young that is? How your life so far is barely a blip—a small stretch—on the timeline of your life? It does with me. I definitely understand that I was way too young to experience such a life changing consequence. It's just crazy.

I should have seen it coming. I should have known. I should have been prepared. But I didn't see it. I hadn't known. And I wasn't prepared, not in the slightest. I should have been, but I wasn't. And that in itself was crazy.

I was never unprepared, ever, until that day.

I was never at a loss for words, ever, until that moment.

I was never surprised, ever, until I opened that envelope.

I vowed to never feel that helpless, sinking feeling ever again. But that didn't happen. I felt that same gnawing, gut-wrenching feeling just over a year later as I stood in the crowded entryway of that building. And it was crazy.

I was going crazy.

Perhaps it would be best to elaborate on what exactly happened that day...

Usually I can sense when something big is about to happen, as part of the advantage of being a seer. I'd wake up with an anticipating feeling and then something happens, but I was braced and on guard that day because of the feeling. I was waiting for that something big to happen. That morning I should have felt something, but I hadn't. That was crazy.

It was like any other of my birthdays. I woke up and had the traditional breakfast with my parents and Dani, just like every year. Kaya, Cam and a few of my other friends caught a movie and lunch in the afternoon with me. The guy I had been dating then, Kian Atkinson, one of my good friends as well, had to work that afternoon so he hadn't come. He was going to meet me later. We got back just in time to get ready for the party my parents had put together for that evening. Nothing that seemed out of the ordinary. Nothing that had never happened before.

Everything seemed to be going great. I should have seen it coming.

The party started out great...just like always. All of my enormous family was there and even more of my friends. Even then it wasn't the largest party I had ever had. I was already anticipating my sweet sixteen for the following year. My mom has always loved to plan parties for Dani and me. Sometimes she tends to go a bit overboard but the parties were always wonderful. They always reserved one of the hotel's banquet or conference rooms for any family parties. This time was no different. It started and went quickly and uneventfully. Except for the slight scene my Uncle Joey caused when he slipped past that one-alcoholic-drink-too-many-mark and proceeded to jump on top of a table, dancing and charming anyone, who walked within a foot of him, hair to flash random neon colors. But believe me it was not the first time that had happened. It wasn't until most people had left that it happened.

It had been decided that I would leave any presents until after the party. Later I had been convinced to join Kaya, Cam and Kian at a late party at a classmate's house and then stay the night at Kaya's afterward. When my mom agreed, I decided to leave all presents for the next day. But my mom had another idea for me. She set me up.

The present from my parents was placed in my hands and I was urged to take a moment to open it before I left. I remember my response: just an uncommitted shrug as I sat down in the nearest chair. I don't know exactly what I could have done to award it but I should have done something.

I absentmindedly tore at the paper and revealed the hardback cover of what turned out to be a magnificent book. I could barely hold back a smile at fist. With the entirety of my mother's side of my family basically full of seers it wasn't odd that I'm so interested in Divination. While most of the seers in my family are devoted to one part of it, their calling, I tend to excel in all aspects of the subject. The book was all about Divination, an advanced study, and it was wonderful. But it was the surprised it held within the pages that would change my life and it had nothing to do with what was written in the book itself.

I had started to flip the pages, just to get a feel of it. Then it happened as I flicked past a certain page it fell open and something slipped through the pages and landed on the ground near my feet. I frowned slightly as I reached for it. It was a plain vanilla colored envelope with only my name scrawled across the front in my mom's neat, loopy handwriting. Curiosity got the best of me, as it always does and I began to break the seal. I was left with two sheet of our hotel letterhead on the first a short paragraph, and on the second a much longer letter signed with my mom's name at the bottom. As I glanced over the first I realized just what it was and nearly fainted. I was going crazy inside.

I had never been caught so off guard, ever, until that minuscule moment of time.

And it was a crazy feeling.


	3. A Family Tradition

A/N: R&R please!

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter or associated characters/story lines. I do however own Melanie, her friends, family and the plot of this fic. Yay me!

**Chapter Three:**

**A Family Tradition**

Have you ever felt that shaky, stunned, I-don't-know-if-I-want-to-puke-pass-out-or-laugh-hysterically feeling? I have. It's a scary experience, but at the same time oddly thrilling. Crazy, I know.

To better explain the reason a single piece of paper could make be feel such a way that day, I need to explain a simple family tradition, if you can call it that. It comes from my mother's side, the seer side. For every woman; never the men, which on one hand seems odd and on the other makes perfect sense because there are far more women than men on that side anyway; there is an occurrence. That's a vague description, but I find it hard to explain. It technically could be considered a prophecy, but I'll settle on the word prediction. When you've witnessed someone produce a real, true, genuine prophecy you aren't too hasty to label things as prophecies. It's a frightening experience, especially when you're young and don't fully understand what's happening. I was six and it was my mom. Terrifying. Simply terrifying.

A prediction. Still vague but better. It has such a great effect on our lives, it's hard to express its significance. To further this along it has one topic and only one topic: your true love. To some people, true love doesn't exist. To other it's not important. To my family and me it is important, it's vital. Many may think that's a way over exaggerated assumption. But they're dead wrong.

Love is one of the most powerful, scratch that, **is **the most powerful force in the universe. This isn't widely believed, though, sadly. Love can do so many things when it's believed in with all the heart. Heal. Shield. Protect. Love isn't power, but it gives you power. Love is so much...my description doesn't give it justice. Love just is.

Love is everywhere, unseen, but everywhere. You just have to be open to feel it.

To get back on track, the prediction of our true loves... At a predetermined point in each woman's life the prediction is introduced through the last woman to fulfill her prediction. For instance, my mom received hers when she was thirteen and she was the oldest of four sisters as well as the oldest of her generation in her mom's family so the last person to fulfill her prediction was her mom, the youngest of her generation.

Complicated, but simplistic. An eternal paradox.

For me it was my Aunt Julia, my mom's younger sister. It happened when I was eight, I just didn't know it. Not quite making sense yet? Yeah, I'm still confused myself.

My mom and dad decided that it should be hidden from me, because I was too young at the ripe old age of eight to comprehend what it meant. My question is why did they wait seven years to actually tell me? I don't know. I don't know if they'll ever explain why. But when they finally did tell me it was so out of the blue. The envelope that fell from the Divination book contained my destiny...And the secret my parents had kept from me all those years.

The fact that they hid it from me wouldn't have meant so much if I hadn't wanted it to happen so much. I had been waiting, anticipating. And they knew that. They knew I wanted it so bad and they still continued to hide it from me. Even after the 'she's too young to understand' excuse ran out.

The prediction is usually a lot like a riddle. It's supposed to subtly give you clues as to who your true love is without actually telling you straight out. The first time I read through mine I had no idea what any of the traits were that it was trying to get across. It's supposed to be that way, my mom used to say.

"If it just told you who it was, it'd be too easy. Love isn't supposed to be easy. You have to work for it. You have to earn it. Fate and destiny aren't going to make it any easier for you. It'd be against the nature of love itself. But don't take for granted the insight that you've been gifted with. It will help, but not do all the work for you. So don't expect it to."

Smart old mom, coming up with something like that. Wise old mom to make me believe it. Of course she's completely right. It's not supposed to be easy. Nothing in life is supposed to be easy. Why should anyone expect something that's supposed to make life a bit easier would be easy to figure out itself?

Because it is such a riddle, it has to be interpreted into something that can be understood and used to find _him_, your true love. I guess my mom got ahead of herself because she started to interpret mine...but only got as far as two words of understandable interpretations. They were written in boldish letters across the top of the paper my prediction was written on. Want to know what it said? I wish I hadn't at that exact moment. For one reason, one reason I can express in two words: my boyfriend.

The words I read were GREEN EYES...and it spurred me to look up in the eyes of by boyfriend, who was standing next to me anxious to find out what the papers said. His eyes, his beautiful yet somehow inadequate hazel eyes.


	4. Friends Made, Changed, And Lost

A/N: R&R please!

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter or associated characters/story lines. I do however own Melanie, her friends, family and the plot of this fic. Yay me!

**Chapter Four:**

**Friends Made, Changed, And Lost**

Kian Atkinson had been one of my closest friends since pre-school. All the witches and wizards in the area were sent to the same Muggle pre-school to lessen the change of widespread panic when one of them started doing something odd. Since toddlers couldn't control anything magical that they did there was a high chance that one of them would do something crazy like making all the chairs in the room fly around the room. That really happened by the way. They never could determine which of us did it. But it happened. It would be easier to deal with one or two scared pre-school teachers than twenty or thirty teachers across the city. It was at that pre-school that I met the people who would become a huge part of my life.

The first person was Kaya Lawrence who I would meet and become inseparable from by the fifth day of pre-school. She would become my best friend and stay my best friend for the rest of our natural born lives. Or so we have promised. It started during something our teacher had dubbed 'play time' and it meant just that: time to play. Now I've always been a I-want-what-I-want-I-get-what-I-want mind set kind of girl. I've never changed. I've always been that way. Even as a four and a half-year-old. So during 'play time' I wanted to play with blocks. This is a pre-school now, they have a lot of blocks. So the blocks Kaya Lawrence was playing with were not the only blocks in the room. Try telling that to a four and a half-year-old.

Try telling that to the four and a half year old me.

Kaya wouldn't share those blocks and that infuriated me. Nothing angered me more than a person who wouldn't share with the other children, namely me. When the teacher tried to pass off some other blocks as the same ones that Kaya was playing with and wouldn't make her share with me, I took justice into my own hands. How much damage could a four and a half-year-old do? I bit her. Straight on the hand. Then laughed. Want to know what she did? She bit me back. Then laughed, in my face.

That was the start of a beautiful friendship.

Then came Cam Osman. Cam was the new boy in town and we befriended him immediately. He came into the class about halfway through the year and seemed so withdrawn into himself because he didn't know anyone or the place he had been forced to call home. I think we scared him a bit when we ambushed him the third day he came to class. I mean we practically jumped him. But the look on his face was priceless. We had a nice conversation about becoming friends.

"Do you want to be our friend?" I asked, my head tilted to the side watching him.

"Yeah, do you want to be our friend?" Kaya repeated.

"Uh, sure." Cam replied.

And that was that. The three of us did everything together. Play time, nap time, recess, lunch time. We even stood together outside the school when our parents came to pick us up. That still hasn't changed...much.

Kian came into the picture only after Cam started to become gender conscious. That means he finally realized Kaya and I were girls. And we were his only friends. It was near the end of the year that he came up to us and demanded that we find another boy for him to hang out with. Make our group even. Two boys, two girls. Kaya picked the first boy who walked by us. It just happened to be Kian. I'm absolutely sure that we scared him.

He just happened to be walking by and Kaya stepped out in front of him, blocking his way. It's just crazy that it was Kaya and not me because that was something that I would have done. I had barely known her a year and I had already been a bad influence on her. It was short and sweet just like with Cam.

"Kian, you're going to come be friends with us and Cam." Kaya commanded forcefully, but somehow still in a sweet voice.

"Do I have to?" Kian stammered his eyes wide.

"Yes." Kaya nodded.

"Okay." Kian answered.

He may have been forced into the friendship, but it worked out. The four of us had been friends ever since. All through our Muggle elementary years we stuck together. We went to the same school and it was somehow arranged that the four of us ended up in the same class every year. For some reason I don't think it was a coincidence. It was probably the government's doing. Just like the pre-school. There were only about five or six witches or wizards at the school we went to. Ariolina Phillips was the fifth and a boy named Jason Carrigen was the sixth.

Then it came time to go into magical schooling. In the U.S. everything magical is intertwined with the non-magical. This meant that we were not separated from the Muggles in everyday life. In Europe there are separate 'worlds' for the wizarding and Muggles. Except for Muggle-borns you won't normally find a witch or wizard in the Muggle world. In the U.S. we're all intermixed. I walk down the same streets as the Muggles everyday. On the sidewalk you can't always tell if the person next to you is a witch or a Muggle.

The magical school in New York is run just like a Muggle school. We go to school during the day and then return home in the late afternoon. Our first year started right after Kian and I turned eleven, and right before Cam and Kaya turned eleven. It was exciting to be around, silly to say this way but here it goes, my own kind. It's kind of stupid, but it was so much fun finally being having permission to do magic all the time. Not that I ever did magic without permission before, cough cough.

We were the greatest, closest, do-everything-together friends...up until fourth year. We were fourteen. Teenagers. With hormones. That was just a joke. This isn't really _all_ about teenage hormonal imbalances and whatnot. However, things changed. Some will argue whether it was for the best or the worst. Things changed between Kaya and Cam. They started fighting, all the time. Kian thought they had started to dislike each other and were drifting apart. I, however, knew them better then that. They hadn't started to dislike each other. They had started to _like_ each other.

I think it was pretty much inevitable that we'd pair off. Being in such close proximity to each other on a daily basis, it was either grow to like the others more or get kind of sick of having them around. Or in my view that's what had to happen. But I could've been wrong. Anyway, it took almost three months for Kaya and Cam to sort through their issues with each other and become a couple.

Let's just say that was one of the longest years of my life. I didn't quite enjoy getting stuck playing mediator for them all the time.

That left Kian and me. It was hard not to feel that what if feeling. That little voice in the back of your mind that nags and pulls at your consciousness until you either scream or give into it. I gave into it. So when Kian asked me to the Spring ball, as more than just friends, I accepted. It was mid-April, by my fifteenth birthday we had been dating nearly four months. Kaya and Cam were going on six months.

With that, everything we had known about our friendships had changed. Everything about us had changed. Then this prediction came out of no where and everything was about to change again. And while the first time was for the better, it seemed the second would only be for the worst.


	5. Think This Trough

A/N: R&R please!

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter or associated characters/story lines. I do however own Melanie, her friends, family and the plot of this fic. Yay me!

**Chapter Five:**

**Think This Trough**

After I caught hold of Kian's gaze for about a millisecond, gasped, turned away and made it a point to look anywhere but at him, Kian became incredibly curious about what had happened. I wouldn't blame him either. I had put on a crazy show. That first thing wasn't even the worst I did that night.

It took Kaya forty-five minutes to talk me down enough to get me out of the ladies' room stall I had locked myself into. I had bolted. Literally bolted. Like a spooked horse. I've never fled a room so fast in my life.

I just had to clear my head, sort out all the jumbled thoughts. I couldn't do that with Kian in the same room with me. Just the thought of him being anywhere near me confused me even more. I didn't know what to think. I had about a million and a half questions circling around in my head and the fact that I couldn't answer any of them was killing me. I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream and yell. I wanted to...I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do, but I felt like I was going to explode.

I just knew I had to have some time alone, to think the whole situation through.

I locked myself in my room for four days and came out only for food and water. Kaya sat outside my door for five or six hours a day, most of the time pleading for me to come out. Cam would join her for an hour or two. Kian came by for five minutes the second day, banged on the door screaming at me to come out, and left. When I finally came out for good I nearly scared the living daylights out of Kaya when I tripped over her. She had fallen asleep on the floor, across my doorway.

Now that's a devoted friend.

It's what I happened after I came out that made everything difficult. And it started with Kian. While his quick visit pretty much expressed his sentiment of our relationship, I still had no idea what to do about him. It was clear our relationship would go nowhere, destiny had already decided that for us, but to what extent was I supposed to follow it through. It was hard to decide whether to break it off clean right away or push forward a little longer while putting on a false smile, knowing there was nothing left there.

I cared about Kian, I really did. It just wasn't real the way it should have been. I didn't love him, we just weren't that serious. Now it seemed I couldn't love him, not the way I should. Even so, did we even really have a relationship to stand with? Without the prediction, did we have anything? And if I broke it off with him, how could I explain myself?

I somehow had never gotten around to telling Kian about my 'family tradition'. I don't know why I never told him, it just never felt right.

It was common knowledge my family was special, that they were seers. But no one knew the traditions that were passed down because of that. I was told I could tell anyone I felt comfortable sharing it with. Of course I told Kaya. We were nine and I told her in one of our late night slumber party conversations about boys and when exactly they had stopped being gross. She thought it was amazing.

We privately told Cam when we turned thirteen and I was about to go out on my first 'real' date. It was a spur of the moment thing. I don't know why we didn't include Kian. It didn't feel comfortable. It still didn't.

I couldn't explain myself truthfully. I didn't want him to know. I couldn't help that I didn't trust him the same way I trusted Kaya and Cam. I've known him just as long...What was wrong with me?

I had so many questions. I was so lacking in answers. Even my four-day escape from the world hadn't brought me any clarity. I was lost, and it didn't seem like anyone was going to come and find me.

While I became more and more confused about Kian and the prediction, there was one thing I was sure of. I was furious with my parents for keeping it from me for SEVEN years! There would have been no problem if they had just told me the truth years ago. But they hadn't, and there was a big problem. I didn't speak to either of them during my four-day lock-in, I couldn't. Possibly, wouldn't. I was hurt and they knew it.

The fifth day after my birthday, the day I cam out and tripped over Kaya, was going to be a long day. What Kaya did was evident of that. First she screamed because I had chosen to wake her up by stepping on her, then she screamed because I had come out. The blood curdling screams were enough to not only draw my sister out of her room, but also my parents sprinting up the stairs. Wonderful.

"What's going on? What happened?" My dad stammered as his eyes darted back and forth between all of us.

"Mel, came out. Kaya screamed. Have a good afternoon everyone." Dani explained and retreated back into her room, the door closed tightly behind her without another word.

"Honey, come have some breakfast." My mom replied, her eyes full of concern. She was waiting for me to explode at them. She was readying herself for it. How could I tell? It was three thirty in the afternoon and she was politely asking me to come have breakfast.

"It's three thirty, mom. It's nearly dinnertime." I mumbled almost incoherently. "And you just offered me breakfast."

"Oh, yes, hmm. Well," My mom stuttered out. My mom never stuttered. Yes, she was very worried. "Dinner then, I'll make dinner."

"I'm not hungry." I stated coolly. Never in my life have I ever seen my mom hurt by three little words. "Forget this, I'm going back into my room."

"Oh no, you don't." Kaya slipped into my room before I could close the door on her as well. She had that determined look on her face that she never used but could be seen on me quite frequently. "Okay, spill, now. Explain yourself. You're scaring the heck out of Cam and me, and Kian is completely steaming. No more secretive-ness. Speak."

I was scaring them. Great. I hadn't explained to anyone what had happened. Only my parents and possibly Dani knew. I had scared them because it seemed like I had freaked out for no reason at all. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.

"I'll tell you. I didn't mean to make it seem like I wasn't going to tell you. I just was out of sorts, you know. I had to think everything through. I'm sorry. I really am. Maybe you should sit down. It's kind of a long story..." I began. Yes, it was going to be a long day. A very long day indeed.


	6. Explanations

A/N: This is my longest chapter so far! Please take the time to read. Then take the time to review, please! I'd really like to know what y'all think. Thanks a bunch.

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter or associated characters/story lines. I do however own Melanie, her friends, family and the plot of this fic. Yay me!

**Chapter Six:**

**Explanations**

This was going to be hard. Kaya had perched herself on the edge of the chair near my computer desk. Ready and waiting. Her eyebrows raised at me as if to prod me along silently. I took in another deep breath. Nothing was calming me down. Nothing was stopping the thoughts that wouldn't stop streaming through my consciousness.

"I don't know where to start. There's just so much..." I blew a big puff of air out of my mouth, sending my bangs out of my face. As they fell back, my eyes fluttered closed. "I just can't clear my head. I feel like I'm being pulled in every direction."

"Why don't you start with what those papers from the book are? That might be the best place to start. At least that's where I got lost." Kaya suggested, with a slow nod of her head.

"Look at Kaya Lawrence with all this hidden confidence. Where did this come from?" I smirked.

"Well, when Melanie Eldens shrivels into herself someone has to take up some of the expended confidence to pull her out. Believe me this is only temporary. I don't really enjoy having to take stands. Or whatever. That's your job. When you're not hiding out in your room, you have enough to make up for the very little Cam and I have."

"I know...I know. Okay, let's get this over with." I breathed, and moved toward one of my dressers and pulled out the two sheets of paper. "You're curious about what these are, right?"

"Of course. When you first looked at them you nearly fainted then and there. Then you folded them up, put them in your jacket pocket and took off. I had to assume you had gone crazy."

"Mmhmm. Funny. I'm being serious now. Try to stay with me here." I replied, glaring at Kaya irritably.

"There's the Mel I know and love." Kaya smiled widely, but didn't say anything else.

"Here it goes. Do you remember that conversation we had about true love and the way my seer blood helps us find that person?" I asked.

"Of course I do. We were nine, and then we had the same conversation with Cam when we were all thirteen. But what does that...Oh my God!" Kaya called, her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. "It isn't! It can't be. Really? Really? That's what this is all about?"

She had jumped from her seat and was jumping up and down in front of me. She was smiling and laughing. Then she suddenly stopped, I guess she noticed I wasn't joining in with her excitement.

"Mel what is it?" Kaya questioned me, walking so she was only a couple of feet away from me and she studied me closely, looking for the answer in my face. "What is it? Tell me."

"Kian." I muttered. A single word. Kaya jerked back and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Kian? What about Kian? It isn't him, is it? It can't be him. That just wouldn't be right. He isn't right for you! He doesn't deserve you! God!" Kaya was rambling and pacing. She did that all the time, especially when she was in deep thought, confused or anxious and worrying about things. I don't think she noticed I was listening to her. Either that or she didn't understand what she was saying.

"What's wrong with Kian?" I demanded.

"Oh!" Kaya snapped upright. She hadn't known. "Nothing, nothing, nothing! I was just thinking about all kinds of things at once and I...I just...Oh I can't lie to you. I've never been able to."

"What is wrong with Kian? I mean he's your friend too, nothing he could have done could have been so bad as it needs to be hidden away. I've had enough with secrets...I'm starting to not like them much. But really, what could he have done?" I was rambling now. Kaya had made me nervous. 

"He...He...He..." Kaya began to say it and repeatedly stopped. She closed her eyes tight and breathed through her mouth. She didn't want to tell me and it was annoyingly obvious.

"He what, Kaya?" I prompted, raising my eyebrows at her when she opened her eyes. After a moment of complete silence I repeated myself, more forcefully, "He what, Kaya?"

"He cheated on you."

"He what?" I yelled, my eyes wide.

"It started about three weeks ago, or so he claims, with...with...Ari." Kaya explained, though she looked a bit scared She was just about ready to listen to me explode, possibly at her.

"Ari? Ari! Of course it was Ari. I always knew he was the weakling! Of course she got her claws into him. He let her! I mean I could protect Cam and David and Mattie and Stratt, but Kian...He never wanted protecting did he?" I was furious and strangely relieved at the same time. "How did you find out?"

"You mean you aren't angry?" Kaya replied weakly.

"Of course I am! I'm absolutely furious...with him. I could never be angry with you for telling me the truth. You're not trying to hurt me, I know that." I shook my had at the doubtful face she sent me, "How did you find out?"

"You know how a couple of weekends ago when you went with David and Natalie to that Grand Opening Ceremony in Boston for the new hotel? And Cam and I used the opportunity to go out on a date...alone?"

"You mean the weekend the two of you saw that movie I really wanted to see without me? Is that the weekend you mean?"

"Yeah, that weekend." Kaya blushed a bit, "Sorry. We had just settled into our seats in the theater when I saw them. They were all over each other in the row below us."

"Well, that's wonderful, my boyfriend is a jerk and I was trying to find a way to let him down without hurting him because it was basically an empty relationship after this came out!" I replied waving the papers in the air.

"You know if it makes you feel any better I didn't really see much of the movie." Kaya smiled and I chuckled lightly.

"Why not?" I questioned.

"I nearly tackled Kian, scratch that, I _did_ tackle Kian, I just didn't get a chance to cause much damage before Cam pulled me off and tackled him, himself. Ari's screaming attracted security and all four of us got thrown out. Then in the middle of the street I got caught up in a screaming match with Kian, he came at me, Cam punched him, and then Ari gave Cam those nasty scratches across his arm." Kaya explained.

"You said that was your cat." I said, with a smirk.

"Well, she's got claws like a cat and she's pissy like one too. It wasn't completely untrue." Kaya shrugged.

"Kaya, why didn't you just tell me? I think I could have take it."

"I didn't want to hurt you. I talked to him—civilly no violence—the day after and he said he was going to end it with Ari. But as of now, he hasn't yet. You needed to know. I should have told you. I'm sorry I kept it from you."

"I must say I don't think I would have taken it so well if I hadn't gotten this first. It's not him, Kaya. It's not him. Can you believe it?"

"Certainly. I never thought he was quite right for you. You have to admit he hasn't been the best boyfriend."

"Of course he wasn't the best boyfriend. Hardly any of them are. But he was always one of my closest friends, and with you and Cam and everything, it seemed like the right thing to do. I guess it wasn't"

"So tell me, Mel my friend, why such the drama queen act for finding out your first serious boyfriend isn't your true love? How many people end up married to their first boyfriend? This little scrap of paper has cause a lot of unnecessary tension, here." Kaya was curious. When she got curious she said some very wise things. She asked the right questions. I should think she got that from me.

"It's not about Kian. All of this isn't about Kian. It's about them. My parents and what they're done. I explained to you how these work, how they happen. It's natural, but when it will happen can't be pinned down: my mom was thirteen when hers was introduced, my aunt Sara got hers a couple of years ago, Samantha has had hers since a month after she was born..."

"And yours when you were fifteen, right?"

"No."

"What do you mean, you got yours. On your birthday too..."

"I was eight and too young to handle it. So they kept it from me. Seven years, Kaya! Seven years! They knew how I felt about it and they didn't tell me." I corrected, "I thought they never kept secrets from us. I tell them everything..."

"Mel, everything?"

"Everything that didn't involve my being grounded for the rest of eternity." I corrected myself and smiled a bit. "Everything that was worth telling them."

"It's funny how you never told them about any of the crazy things that you _forced _me to do, but your mom still figured it out. Even funnier you haven't been grounded for the rest of eternity yet."

"Yes it's hilarious, Kaya." I rolled my eyes, "I'm so angry. They never told me. Do you know how much it hurts to know that they lied to me about something so big for so many years?"

"I'm sure they just thought it was better to wait until you were older..."

"Oh, I know that. I really do. I understand their reasoning and everything. But they lied to me for seven years. It still stings. I can't believe they could do that to me. Seven years, Kaya. Do you understand how long that is? I wouldn't be in this mess with Kian if they had just told me."

"They're just very protective of their first born. I wish I had parents like yours. I mean any set of parents besides mine would do just fine... I mean the man my mom claims is my father is about an inch away from the loony bin and don't get me started on my mom, all she cares about—obsesses about rather—is pleasing the two little demons they call my brother and sister. So yeah, I'd take your parents any day, even with seven years of lies."

"Believe me, I'd never give them up for the world, but I just don't want to talk to them ever again. Or at least for a month or so."

"Good luck with that." Kaya said, and patted me on the shoulder, "You know how mad your mom gets when you refuse to talk to her..."

"Mmhmm. She nearly grounded me once because I wouldn't talk to her..."

I stopped when a loud knock came through my door. I shook my head at Kaya when she gestured for me to answer it. No way was I answering it. I wasn't quite in the mood yet. Kaya sighed and mad to open it herself. I slipped past her and went into my private bathroom. I took a seat on my toilet to wait for whomever it was to go away. I listened quietly.

"Hey Mrs. Eldens." Kaya greeted my mom lively.

"Kaya. Tell Melanie there's someone here to see her, please. I guess I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up."

"Who is it?" I called from my seat on the toilet.


	7. That Long Day Just Got Longer

A/N: I'm happy with the response I've gotten for the story so far, being as it's been out only a day or so. There is some mild language in this chapter, so if any form of cussing offends you then don't read! Thanks.

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter or associated characters/story lines. I do however own Melanie, her friends, family and the plot of this fic. Yay me!

**Chapter Seven:**

**That Long Day Just Got Longer**

"Who is it?" I repeated after a moment of silence.

"Kian."

I never guessed that a single word, a single name, could make my stomach sink to my feet like that one did. I shook my head, no, I wasn't ready to see him. To talk to him. To explain. I wasn't even sure if I could see him without completely biting his head off. Then I realized no one could see me.

"No." I called.

"Mel? You up here?" Too late.

I nearly jumped off the toilet and I sprang into my bedroom just as Kian appeared in my open doorway. Shoot. All I could think of was him and Ari, together. Yeah, Kian was going to miss having his head.

"Mel! Good! Great! I've been so worried about you!" Kian exclaimed. Yes, that sounded sincere, seeing as he showed up once and left after only a few minutes. Real worried. I bet it gave him some more free time for him to spend with Ari.

Kian walked over to me and pulled me into a hug. I didn't return it. It took all I had to not flinch in disgust. He pulled back a bit and leaned into kiss me lightly like he normally did. I dodged him and slipped backwards out of his arms. I scrambled a few feet away from him. No way was I letting him kiss me again.

"What's wrong?" Kian asked, his brow furrowed, as he looked at me surprised.

"What's wrong? What's wrong? You want to know what's wrong? Maybe I don't want lips that have been attached to Ariolina Phillips anywhere near me. Maybe that's it!" I yelled.

"What are you talking about?" Kian said, his eyes angrily flicking toward Kaya for a second. He could play dumb all he wanted. I wasn't going to let up.

"I'm talking about Ari, Kian. And how you have been cheating on me with her. That's what I'm talking about."

"What did she tell you?" Kian snapped his voice raising and pointing at Kaya. "Because she's lying. She just can't stand that..."

"Give it up. You're caught. That's it. It's over Kian." I cut him off. I didn't want excuses, I was sick of excuses.

"Over, what do you mean over?" Kian was really yelling now, and scowling at me at the same time.

"Over, you know, we're broken up. I thought I'd spare you the whole it's-not-you-it's-me-let's-stay-friends speech, mainly because it's not me, it's you and I don't want to be your friend. I don't want to ever speak to you ever again." I clarified. "Got it?"

"You're a witch." Kian sneered.

"Yes and a brilliant one at that." I responded, then narrowed my eyes at him, "And I suggest you leave, before the witch comes to her senses and curses you into the next century. You know me, I can and I will."

"She most definitely will. And when she's done you'll have me to deal with, though there's only a slim chance there will be anything left of you for me to work with." Kaya popped up, her voice laced with unrestrained determination. She was as strong as I was when it came to protecting the ones she cared about, though she would argue my technique was more efficient. And at most times it was. But that wasn't the point.

"I'm not afraid of either of you." Kian snapped and folded his arms across his chest. He was challenging me. Foolish, foolish Kian. Was he really trying to test me? _Me_? Of all people...It was stupid, as he would soon find out. Ooo, now he was smirking confidently. He was just asking for me to hurt him. Well if that's what he wanted...

I never quite got my chance. Here's why...

At the exact moment I was about to pull my wand on him, Cam showed up. Boy did he look angry when he saw Kian. Something I would call 'ultra-super-mega-incredipissed', a term Kaya and I had come up with somewhere along the road of our friendship.

"Hey asshole, what the hell do you think you're doing her? Don't you recall our little conversation yesterday?" Cam exclaimed angrily.

"What conversation?" Kaya and I replied loudly, together.

"Yeah, Camie boy, what conversation would that be?" Kian sneered, "I don't recall."

"I told you..." Cam began, stalking toward Kian with his finger pointed at him, but then stopped abruptly when he paused.

"What did you tell me, Cam?"

"You know what I told you, and part of it was about not coming here..." Cam was avoiding saying something he didn't want me to know. It became clear when he began shooting me nervous glances.

"Cam, she already knows." Kaya said softly. I guess Kaya noticed too.

"So Kian, what did you and Cam have a chat about?" I asked.

After a moment of silence from Kian, Cam answered for him; "I ran into him and Ari yesterday, the one he had assured us he would break everything off with. Which ended up being a flat out lie. I told him he better not show his face around any of us until he lost the slutty arm candy. But he hasn't yet, and the jerk off still showed up here."

"Well, congrats Cam. It doesn't really matter since my showing up her benefited little Melanie. She broke up with me about ten minutes ago and threatened to do nothing less than murdering me." Kian replied, "And I was just about to leave. See you all at start of term!"

"Good riddance..." I muttered.

Kian stomped out of my room and I had hoped it would be the last time I would have to deal with his sniveling, arrogant, bow-down-to-me attitude. Maybe when I first thought that I was still running on the adrenaline of the fight, because it was a bit of an exaggeration. I still never wanted to see him again, though. That still hasn't changed.

The day progressed slowly, as I had expected it to. The whole ordeal with Kian would not leave me alone. I couldn't stop thinking about it. So to try and get my mind off of him I put all my focus on something else. The prediction. Kaya and Cam had volunteered themselves to help me interpret it. I had to admit I needed all the help I could get. Usually when the topic involved seer abilities or such subjects I would turn to my family—my mom—for help. But the current situation didn't allow for that. I didn't want to talk to them, let alone start a makeshift 'project' with them.

As hard as it would be for me to get anything done with Kaya and Cam around, it was good to know I had their support. It was going to take a long time and a lot of effort to figure it out, and it would be difficult. I needed the extra support. But the day had been long enough already, it would have to wait a bit. Until I wasn't strung so tight. At least a few days...


	8. When Interpretations Are Hard to Come By

A/N: I'm glad as many people have taken the time to look at my story, but I'm not happy that I haven't gotten any reviews. Please, please, please review! This is my first Fanfic ever and I want to know how I'm doing. Sorry, I haven't updated in such a long time. But I'm going to be doing a huge, mass update today. Thanks.

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter or associated characters/story lines. I do however own Melanie, her friends, family and the plot of this fic. Yay me!

**Chapter Eight: **

**When Interpretations Are Hard To Come By **

The day after the fight with Kian, I started to feel bad about what happened. I had lost my boyfriend and one of my closest friends all at once. As angry as I was with him, I still missed the friendship we once had. While he wasn't as great and trustworthy a friend as Kaya or Cam was, he was a refreshing change of pace. He was more like me: confident, spontaneous, and decisive. If you needed a clear-cut answer on something Kian was the one to look for. Kaya or Cam would have needed to think on it longer and in some cases that was more suitable. But they couldn't give you a quick response the way Kian could. Or the way I could.

I had lost that.

I understood, though, that it was worth it. I was better off without Kian around. Even if I hadn't dated Kian and we hadn't fought the way we had, he would never be there for me through this situation the way Kaya and Cam were. As they were a week, to the dot, after the fight with Kian. We had planned to start working on the prediction a few days after, but got sidetracked by a many number of things. But we finally managed to get in a much needed interpretation session.

We were in over our heads, it was quite clear after by the end of that first day. Kaya had suggested we write out ideas we got on scraps of paper. If after we looked them over a couple of times they didn't seem right we would crumple them up and throw them away. If they were still being considered we would leave them in a pile on my desk. In the first hour we had about a thousand or more discarded ideas and only one or two ideas still in consideration. Way, way, way over our heads. If that wasn't evidence of it, I'm not sure what is.

I couldn't find my edge. If it were for anyone but myself I would have been knee deep with answers. Instead I was knee deep in garbage, literally. I only had one little wastebasket in my room, which had over flowed with discarded paper five minutes after we started. I was overwhelmed and the only people I could turn to in that moment were already doing all they could. I was scared and anxious, and I didn't know what to do about it.

Our first day we didn't get anything done. Nor the second. Not the third or the fourth. It was like a never-ending cycle, where I wasn't supposed to figure it out. Nothing in it made sense to me. It wasn't like my mom's. She had let me read hers once. I could _feel_ my dad in it. I couldn't feel anything from mine, at least not anything recognizable or familiar. Although the likely answer for that could have been I had never met him before.

We had been at it for weeks, the start of school was drawing closer and closer, while we were going nowhere. Kaya and tried—and failed—to convince me to talk to my mom, to go to her for help. But I just couldn't. When I had opened that envelope I had been excited that I had finally gotten my prediction, but as soon as I saw the second letter the excitement had evaporated. My mom had attempted to explain herself, her reasoning. While I understood her intentions were initially good, it didn't change the fact that it hurt me terribly that she could lie to me like that. It was hard for me to forgive her. And although my dad claims all the credit as well, I know it wasn't him who made the decision. My mom did. I know she made that choice, because my dad would have never been able to talk her out of it even if he disagreed.

My mom says it was my age, my maturity level, my experience or lack there of. And maybe it was. I, however, don't think that's the case. She just wasn't ready for me to grow up. She wasn't ready to lose me to someone else. She wasn't ready to lose her little girl. Usually it's the dad who can't bear to part with his daughter, but in my mom's family it's different. These predictions have a very strong, blunt way of saying 'she belongs to someone else, deal with it.' My mom was afraid of losing me so early. I understood, but I wasn't ready to forgive her yet.

Things were getting harder and harder for me. First and foremost, my relationship with my parents had taken a dive. Trust is everything and we had lost everything. Then I had to deal with a prediction seven years overdue. Which would have been hard enough on its own without the lies that accompanied it. Then I'm forced to break up with my boyfriend, although it turned out for the best. Start of term was nearing, and I would have to face Kian and Ari day in and day out. I had no hope of finishing the prediction before the first day of school. Once I went back to school I was sure to not have any time to work on it. With school, Quidditch and my shift at the hotel restaurant on top of homework, essays, and studying—fifth year mean O.W.L.s—much of my time had already been committed elsewhere.

And school hadn't even started yet.

As much as I wanted to drop everything and devote all my time to the prediction, I couldn't. I wasn't far enough ahead to be comfortable with putting off until the next summer. I also wasn't far enough behind to feel I needed to put exaggerated amounts of time into it, I was stuck in the middle. I had to delay my search; I had school and other things to deal with first. My soul mate, my true love could wait. He wasn't going to go anywhere. A few months' time wouldn't make any difference. Otherwise, it wouldn't be destiny, now would it?

I had so much to do before school started. I had to figure out a way to avoid Kian when he was in every single one of my classes. I still had to go shopping for all my school supplies. I also had to find a way to keep my mind off the prediction while I stored it away in an unused dresser drawer and ignored it. I had to get some much needed Quidditch practice in—catch up on my Chaser skills with Kaya. Too much to do in only three weeks. Far too much. But it had to be done.

Kaya had to drag me out of my house to do something not on "The List", as she dubbed it, that I had made of things I had to make time for. She wanted to go shopping for a new wardrobe for the coming year. I obliged because my role as the best friend required me to and my wardrobe needed enlargement as well. But it was going to be the only time I would stray from the schedule I had drawn up.

"Can you believe we're already fifteen and starting out fifth year of school? We have two years left before we're adults." Kaya asked dreamily as we absentmindedly browsed in our first store of the day.

"Yes, I can believe it. And correction I'm fifteen, you're still fourteen, thank you very much." I giggled, and shuffled through some shirts on a rack.

"Only until November." Kaya scowled.

"That's still a while away, Kaya." I smirked and took a pair of jeans off a rack to try on, "And I will always be older and more mature than you."

"Rub it in, why don't you." Kaya frowned, and held a shirt up in front of her, "Do you think this color would look good on me?"

"Besides the fact that it's a disgustingly puke green color, oddly yes." I replied, looking at the shirt closely with my head tilted to the side.

"Hmm, I like it."

"Of course you do Kaya." I shook my head and laughed.

"What?" Kaya exclaimed, "What!"

"Nothing." I smiled, "Let's hit the dressing rooms!"

"Sounds great. And just to let you know I'm not leaving this mall until each of us have at least twenty bags full of stuff!"

"Would I have it any other way." I smirked.

After an adequate amount of time spent changing and modeling in the dressing rooms we left that store with at least six bags each. A good number, it made a slight dent in Kaya's goal for the day. It made an even larger dent if you thought about how much was stuffed in each bag. But how much was in each bag didn't count for anything, Kaya pointed out when I complained about it. For once in my life, Kaya overruled me. Funny how things changed in a month. All because of two little pieces of paper.

I knew what Kaya was trying to do, besides filling her closet and draining her dad's wallet. I hardly left the house for anything that wasn't preparation for school—though Kaya would still argue the little shopping spree was preparation for school—and she wanted to change that. She swore above all things that she would jump off the top of our hotel before she let any of her friends start to sink into themselves. And she was holding true to that. I had moaned and groaned all the way to the mall, by natural law of friendship I had to, but getting out of the house was good for me. It was some much-needed fun.

"Mel, want to hit the food court? I'm starved." Kaya asked as we exited our fifth store. I had already surpassed Kaya's twenty-bag goal, as had she. My arms were getting tired form all the weight.

"Great idea. My arms are killing me. Two more years, Kaya, two more years. Two more years and we will never have to deal with this kind of pain ever again!" I replied as I followed Kaya toward the food court.

"I can't wait!" Kaya smiled, "Now what would you like? Pizza? Hamburgers? Sandwiches? Chinese? Japanese? Mexican?"

"Oh the choices...I'm thinking play it safe and go for the pizza, since I'm thinking anything else might be a tad bit dangerous..." I responded.

"I'd say the same. I don't trust the food court food all that much either." Kaya agreed with a nod and headed toward the table nearest the pizza window.

We dumped all our bags on top of the table and went to order. After we got our food, we piled all our bags onto empty chairs and dug in. I finished first and Kaya followed quickly. Even though we had spent only a short time sitting I was already ready to stretch my legs. We gathered up all our things and headed back out into the mall.

"So hit the shops or catch a ride home?" Kaya asked.

"Ah a couple more stores can't hurt much, can it?" I shrugged.

"It could, depending on the store. Pick the right one and we could end up with bags coming out our noses."

"Trying to sway me in the other direction?" I laughed.

"No, I love shopping and we have only seen five stores, you know." Kaya responded.

"I know, I didn't lose count. We haven't even hit double digits yet." I nodded.

"Then let's keep going then!" Kaya exclaimed, with a bright smile.

"Where to?" I questioned.

"I don't know yet. Let's see." Kaya said, "But it will be fun and beneficial. Let's say we're not leaving until we have thirty bags."

"I think I've already got that."

"Thirty-two."

"Got it."

"Thirty-four."

"Yep."

"Thirty-seven?"

"One shy."

"Forty it is then."

"Okay. The magic number is forty. Call Cam, we're going to need some more hands."

"No way Jose. It's a girls' day only, remember? No boys." Kaya refused and shook her head with her nose scrunched.

"Fine, fine. Lots of fun is on our way." I smiled, this was just what I needed. Lots of fun, indeed.


	9. First Days, Second Chances Wasted

A/N: Please R&R. Thanks a bunch.

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter or associated characters/story lines. I do however own Melanie, her friends, family and the plot of this fic. Yay me!

**Chapter Nine: **

**First Days, Second Chances Wasted...Thirtieth Time Is The Charm **

The first day of school, and already the inevitable had happened.

It was common knowledge that any relationship with Ari Phillips was a fling. Nothing more, nothing less. It was just her style. You were lucky to make it past a week. And only the really special ones made it past a month. Those ones were mainly the ones that already had girlfriends. Lucky them.

Turns out Kian hadn't been aware of that useful tidbit of information.

People were saying he had the longest run of all of Ari's boyfriends. He was just shy of three months when she dropped him, two days before the start of term. He wasn't expecting it either. Hence the situation I was in.

My plan was to avoid him at all costs. This was going to be difficult to do with him being everywhere I was. I was planning on ignoring his very presence, if I didn't acknowledge him then he wouldn't be a problem. No go on that one.

Kian had very different ideas. Our very first class of the day and Kaya, Cam and I had barely arrived. Kian cornered me and separated Kaya and Cam from me. And my plan shot out the window.

"Hey Melanie, how are you? Was the rest of your summer good?" Kian questioned with a smile.

"Kian, I told you the last time I saw you, I never wanted to see you again. While I know that is impossible seeing we share every class this year, but I was hoping to not have to talk to you, at the very least." I snapped. "And you're putting an awful cramp in that plan of mine."

"Mel, I want to apologize for everything I did." Kian replied.

"An apology isn't going to cut it Kian." I said through clenched teeth. "Now leave me alone."

"Give me a second chance, I'll make it up to you." Kian pleaded. "Tell me what I can do to get you to forgive me."

"Ha! You got to be kidding me." Kaya scoffed from somewhere behind me.

"Kian you had your second chance and you wasted it." I replied.

"What are you talking about?" Kian exclaimed, "You broke up with me and that was it. I never got a second chance to waste."

"Your second chance was when Kaya and Came first caught you and gave you the benefit of the doubt by not telling me. Your second chance was when Came caught you the second time and gave you the opportunity to fix things before he told me. And you missed them. You could have ended things with Ari before I found out and I would have had no reason to do what I did. We'd still be together right now." I responded my voice cool, some of it was a lie but he didn't know that nor was I ready for him to know that. "And never ask me for a second, third, fourth chance ever again. Excuse me."

I pushed my way by him and proceeded to follow Kaya and Cam to a small cluster of empty seats in the center row facing the front. They sat on either side of me. My protection. Very thoughtful of them, really. However much they wanted to sit next to each other, which I know they did, they wanted to save me from having to experience anymore of Kian in that class period.

"Was he joking?" Kaya muttered. "He couldn't have been serious. I mean, doesn't he have any sense left at all? He had to have some screws loose to get involved with Ari, but he's smarter than this isn't he?"

"I doubt it. He knows Mel, he knows what she can do, and he acted like an idiot. He must have been crazy to mess with Mel." Cam replied, with a pat on my back. "She's crazy when it comes to her boys, isn't she?"

"My boys? Of course I am. Didn't work well when it came to Kian though, did it? But then again he was the weakest link in that chain." I smiled, "And he wanted her right? Cam, David, Mattie and Stratt didn't, don't and will never—so help me if they ever do—want her. Yes, I'm very protective of my boys. It's a very sad thing that the only one I lost was the one that was really mine, isn't it? Funny too. Maybe I was too worried she'd break one of the rest of you down and too trusting of Kian's loyalty to me."

"Too trusting for sure." Kaya responded, "But it wasn't your fault and don't ever think that it was. You've been doing fine this past month without him. He's the one suffering. Look at him. It's killing him."

"Sure, I don't believe that for a second. In a couple of days, heck in a couple of hours I be, he'll have some bumbling, gossiping, ditzy little girl hanging all over him. Just like before. He is one of the most gorgeous guys at this school, that hasn't changed." I scoffed, and shook my head. "That fact along with the fact that he was 'committed' to me, and he became the most desirable thing in this state, at least for Ari. I swear she can smell a guy in a serious relationship from a mile away."

"Or she can sense it, her magnificent cat reflexes coming into effect. I told you she was like a cat. Who didn't believe me?" Kaya exclaimed.

"I never said I didn't believe you. I was just saying you lied to me about it being your cat when it was really just a girl." I corrected. "She is a lot like a cat, but a wild one, like a tiger or a leopard or something."

"She looks like a calico to me." Cam joked, "At least with Mel around. I say there are more dangerous beasts in the jungle."

"Shut up!" I exclaimed and slapped Cam playfully across the arm.

Before any of us could say anything else our teacher blew into the room, in her usual manner, loud and energetic, "Good morning, class! Welcome to fifth year History or Magic!"

"She makes it sound so exciting!" I whispered in a sarcastic excited voice, with a fake bright smile, "Why? First thing Monday morning, History of Magic. Then Potions, and Herbology on the first day. Mondays suck."

"Couldn't have said it better myself. Except that you're the super student and you could ace these classes blindfolded with your hands tied behind your back." Kaya joked. "I can't even imagine why you're complaining."

"Because...Mondays suck." I responded.

"Shush. She's talking!" Cam remarked sarcastically.

"This year your future—at this school and outside of it—will be decided upon. Your marks on the O.W.L.s will directly effect the courses you continue in for the next two years, the courses you will study for N.E.W.T.s. This year will narrow your choices for careers." Mrs. Shawny said, "Be wise with your actions this year, they may cost you."

I watched her give an obvious glare toward Hayden Parker, the stereotypical bad boy of our year, then turn her gaze upon me and raise her eyebrows as if challenging me to tell her she was wrong. She didn't know me ver well for having me in her classes for four almost five years.

"I'm shocked Mrs. Shawny, that you could think I'm capable of doing something that could jeopardize my future." I exclaimed.

That drew a laugh from Claire Solins, Ari Phillips' "best friend", in quotes because Ari is never really anyone's friend. I scowled in her direction.

"Please Melanie, your history of trouble is longer than Hayden's." Claire scoffed.

"At least it's not as long as your list of 'conquests.'" I blurted out, unintentionally of course.

"Excuse me?" Claire squeaked.

"You heard her." Hayden piped up out of nowhere, "And she's flat out right."

"How would you know Parker?" Ari suddenly jumped in.

"Don't get me started with you, Phillips." Hayden replied, "Your reputation puts Claire's to shame. Heck, yours has hers cowering in the corner."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ari snapped.

"You know exactly what it means," I exclaimed, "You jump from guy to guy so fast, by the time the first one realizes you're gone you're already into triple digits."

"You know what Eldens? At least I can hold on to a guy." Ari smirked.

"Yeah, only the ones with girlfriends." Kaya laughed.

"Kaya, you should shut up before your little lapdog has second thoughts and comes running to me." Ari sneered.

"Gross." Cam replied, and multiple laughs echoed through the room, including mine.

"Just proves my point." Kaya muttered.

"Good going Osman, at this rate, it'll be just you and me she can't obtain." Hayden chuckled.

"No kidding." Cam agreed.

"Class, that is quite enough!" Mrs. Shawny called for probably the fiftieth time. I could hear her yelling, but everyone ignored her.

"If Melanie wasn't such a..." Ari began.

"Watch what you say Phillips!" Kaya snapped jumping out of her chair.

"Please, Lawrence don't act like your such a threat to me." Ari scoffed. "I don't even flinch under Melanie's glare, you just make me laugh."

"Laugh all you want Ari, I doubt you'll be laughing when I'm through with you." Kaya called.

"Bring it on." Ari sneered.

"Shut up!" I yelled, "You think you're so great, and nobody even likes you. At least half this school hates you, a fourth is cared of you and the other fourth worship at your feet because they think you'll have mercy on them and their boyfriends when you go boy hunting."

"And which group are you in?" Hayden smirked.

"The first one of course, always have been. Always will be." I answered.

"Good, me too." Hayden agreed.

"Eldens, Parker. Get a room." Ari sneered.

"Ari, you no good..." Kaya started.

"Miss Lawrence, Miss Phillips, Miss Eldens...Mr. Parker!" Mrs. Shawny called, "Enough already, please!"

"Tramp." I muttered incomprehensibly.

"Prude." Ari snapped.

"Enough!" Mrs. Shawny yelled, then almost immediately afterwards the bell rang, "Out, out, all of you out. One more outburst like that in my classroom and the entire lot of you will be living in detention indefinitely!"

I was out the door in seconds with Kaya and Cam right behind me. As I reached the center of the hall someone tapped me on the shoulder. As if I didn't get enough of her in the classroom.

"Melanie, do you really think I'd let you get away with that?" Ari nearly growled.

"It's the truth." I snapped as I whirled around. "It's bad enough you've made your way though almost every guy in this school, I can tolerate that and it doesn't hold my attention, but when you come after _my _boys...you've got my attention."

"Your boys, huh?" Ari smirked, "Would that mean Cam? David? Mattie? Stratt? Kian?"

"Yes, stay away from them." I called, "But Kian, Kian you can have."

"I don't want him, but thank you anyway." Ari responded, "And it's not my fault they want me."

"You're so self-centered," I shook my head, "They don't want you! You repulse them!"

"I didn't repulse Kian. In fact, he quite welcomed my attentions." Ari raised an eyebrow at me, as if asking 'what do you have to say to that?' Well, I'll tell you.

"I don't care what Kian may or may not have done when you so modestly offered yourself to him, as I'm so sure you did. Really Ari, do you think I'd believe for a second that he came to you? I highly doubt it. You have always targeted my boys, in some sick way to get back at me." I replied, "All because I'm the only one who stands up to you when you try to. I take care of my boys and hold strong when you threaten them. How can you hold that against me?"

"Why don't you just crawl back to nobody friends, and consume every bottle from one of your parents' mini-bars." Ari sneered.

"Trying to get her drunk, Phillips? Please tell me you don't plan on working your way through the female population when you've ran out of ready and willing, non-repulsed guys." Hayden suddenly replied appearing beside me out of nowhere.

"Funny Parker, hilarious." Ari scowled, "Just get out of my sight all of you. God losers are so disgusting."

As she began to push her way out of the crowd, Hayden yelled, "I always thought sluts were disgusting!"

"Shove off, Parker." Claire sneered without looking back as she shuffled off after Ari.

"Well so much for a good first day." I huffed. "Kian and Ari in a hour and a half."

"First days are never good." Hayden replied, "And Mondays are even worse."

"First days on Mondays are the worst." I added.

"Exactly!" Hayden responded, "So are you okay or did Ari really put you in a bad mood?"

"I don't let her get to me anymore." I answered, surprised that he had even asked me that, "I know she only does it because her constant repetition of old, bad habits bores her."

"Of course." Hayden nodded.

"What is this about?" I asked, as I started off towards Potions—which would start in less than fifteen minutes—with Kaya and Cam right behind me and Hayden tagging along.

"What is what about?" Hayden looked at me with a confused expression.

"This! This defending me thing. This actually talking to me thing. For four years we've barely said a word to each other, and then all of a sudden you're acting like one of...one of them!" I exclaimed, gesturing at Kaya and Cam.

"You know, I've always admired you." Hayden replied.

"What for?" I responded, frowning.

"You're inability to get caught." Hayden smiled, "But really it's not just that. You are the only person who has a higher grade than me in all our classes."

"That's true, Mel, so true." Kaya smirked.

"Yeah, okay still." I replied, "That's been true for four years and you've only changed just now..."

"Mrs. Jenson had asked me to talk to you." Hayden admitted, "And I saw you and Kian this morning, I thought someone should try to make Ari and her 'posse' lay off you. Plus, you in a bad mood with me talking about what we're supposed to talk about doesn't paint a pretty picture."

"Why does she want you to...Oh she didn't!" I groaned.

Earlier that morning, before the whole fiasco in History of Magic, I had visited Mrs. Jenson—my favorite teacher—my Divination teacher. I had told her about my prediction because she already knew about our little tradition since my mom told her about it during my third year. I had asked for suggestions on what to do about it, and her suggestion was to get one of the other students in our class—one with high marks and good 'eye'—to help me with it. I told her I would think about it. I guess she answered yes for me anyway and asked Hayden to help me—he was second in the class and had some genuine seer blood in him from distant generations.

"I told her I would think about it, not please find someone in the next five minutes and send him to me!" I called, just before we reached the Potions classroom door.

"I'm sorry, she just asked me to read this over and talk to you about working on it with you. I thought it was for class..." Hayden responded.

"No, it's about me." I whispered, "And I'll talk to you about it later."

I entered the room and Kaya, Cam and I make our way to our usual seat in the far corner. Hayden took the seat closest to the door.

"How could she do this? I didn't even want anyone to know. And she tells Hayden, of all people. Hayden Parker!" I whispered urgently.

"Maybe he'll be able to help." Kaya replied, "I mean he already knows, why not give it a shot? The harm is already done, it couldn't get any worse."

"I guess it couldn't hurt." I agreed, "You two don't mine working with him, do you?"

"Course not." Cam replied, "Plus you know Ari won't distract him."

"He sure will distract me." Kaya joked, "Seriously, though, have you looked at him? I mean really looked at him? If you can get past his bad boy reputation, he is gorgeous. I mean those eyes...those gorgeous, green eyes."

Her speech slowed, when she reached the word green. Then she looked up at me, questioning.

"No it can't be, can it?" Kaya whispered.

"No, no way." I shook my head, "It just can't be, I don't sense him in it. It couldn't be, could it?"

"Well you'll never know if you don't get it done." Cam replied.

"So we better do this fast." Kaya agreed.

"Yeah, fast." I nodded, "That means Hayden is a must. We need all the help we can get."


	10. Helping Hands, Green Eyes, But No Scars

A/N: Please R&R. Thanks a bunch.

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter or associated characters/story lines. I do however own Melanie, her friends, family and the plot of this fic. Yay me!

**Chapter Ten:**

**Helping Hands, Green Eyes, But No Scars **

Hayden proved to be a great asset when we returned to working on the prediction. Even though I had decided to put it off until summer, hat decision didn't hold up for long. It was clear Hayden meant business the first day he showed up for a session. He really meant to help me. He became even more determined when I explained to him it that had nothing to do with class, that it was a personal "project". He really wanted to help me. He was the one who spurred the discovery of right interpretations.

"Marked by evil? Marked by evil. Marked. Marked. Marked." Hayden spoke to himself, lounging on his back on one of the couches in my living room. "Marked. By. Evil."

"Are you going somewhere with that or do you just like the words?" Kaya asked with a laugh from the floor by the fireplace with Cam. She had taken to throwing our most recent discarded ideas into the fire my dad had lit earlier that morning.

"I'm going somewhere I promise." Hayden replied, "I remember reading something in one of those old interpretations books, you know the ones Mrs. Jenson keeps in that cabinet behind her desk, it was in another prophecy...it talked about marks, and markings, the book interpreted it as being about a scarred people. Maybe this guy is scarred in some way."

"Figuratively or literally?" I asked, curious and sitting up from where I was sprawled out on the smaller couch cattycorner from where Hayden was sitting.

"Either or, possibly both?" Hayden answered, "I'm not sure, and you can't tell from this."

"I think you're right, at least it feels right." I smiled, "Thank you for helping so much. If you hadn't said anything about it, or if Mrs. Jenson hadn't said anything to you about it, it would probably still be stored away in my drawer."

"It's no problem." Hayden smirked, "So who is this guy anyway?"

"I don't know that's what we're trying to find out." I replied.

"No I know, but is it going to be someone you know, someone you can recognize, or is it a stranger, like if you passed them on the street right now would you know...really know that it was him?" Hayden questioned.

"I don't know. With my mom and dad there were an ocean apart when she figured hers out, they didn't meet until years later. My Aunt Sara knew Aaron for a few years, and my Aunt Julia knew Joey since her fifth year of school. I could know him already, meet him tomorrow or run into him thirty years from now." I explained, "And while all three of them are equally likely, I'm hoping for any of those but the last one."

"Oh." Hayden replied, "So finding this guy could be the easiest or hardest thing in the world?"

"Exactly." I nodded, "It's not supposed to be simple, it's supposed to be confusing as hell, so that you never quite know where you stand. Because it's exciting and terrifying and invigorating!"

"She's very passionate about this, as you can tell." Kaya joked.

"Shut up!" I exclaimed.

"Never!" Kaya called.

"Fine, but at least be productive."

"I will be, I'm good at this sitting around doing nothing while Hayden and Mel do all the work, don't you like it Cam?" Kaya said.

"I love it." Cam agreed.

"You two are useless." I groaned.

"Yes, but you love us." Kaya smiled.

"Let's take a break." Cam suggested, "Kaya, let's raid the fridge."

"Fine, don't help us!" I called as they scurried off toward my kitchen.

"We need a break," Hayden replied, "We've been at this for a long time today."

"I've got seven years to make up for and the only people who opted to help me are completely inexperienced in this sort of thing, besides you of course." I exclaimed.

"Why isn't your family helping you out with this?" Hayden asked.

"I told you, I'm not talking to them right now." I answered.

"It's been months since this came out, haven't you forgiven them yet?" Hayden replied.

"No, I haven't. I haven't even argued or asked them their reasoning. I can't even speak to them. I haven't told them anything about anything. The only reason my parents know Kian and I broke up is because Kaya told them. Everything in my life has been screwed up for the last few months, and it's because of them. All because of them." I rambled, "So no I'm not ready to forgive them yet, and that's horrible I know but I don't really care anymore. It's just they're always there and it's a constant reminder of what they've done. I can't stand it."

"You're lucky, you know that?" Hayden snapped softly.

"How's that?" I questioned.

"Your parents are there, even when you won't speak to them they're there. They are always there. I wish my parents were like yours. I swear to God, and I'm sorry to say this like this but you need to snap the hell out of it! You act like they did this to hurt you—even if you say you don't, you do—but they didn't. They care enough about you to hide this until you were older and ready to handle it, despite the fact that you might hate them for it. And they stick around, face your cold shoulder and anger waiting for _you_ to change the situation." Hayden exclaimed, "I have two parents who would rather jump into a pit full of dragons than stay in a room with me for longer than three seconds, or at least that's how it seems. If my parents were even the slightest bit like yours, I'd feel blessed. And it confuses the hell out of me that you don't."

"Are your parents really like that?" I asked quietly.

"They've never been affectionate people or ones for 'quality time' with their son. As soon as I was old enough to fend for myself, they made themselves scarce." Hayden answered, "But maybe that's for the best, it made me the tough bad ass I am today."

"Yeah, you keep believing that." I laughed.

"Well, you tell me how you became the wild, misbehaving, allusive girl you have been all these many years." Hayden replied, frowning at me as I laughed.

"It's genetic." I said simply, "From my mom and my dad. My mom was the wild one in her day, but she had boundaries. I don't, which comes from my dad. A Quidditch daredevil when he was young. Completely reckless. My mom says that he's to blame for passing on the 'evil' trait from his side of the family. The mixture of spontaneity and recklessness made me."

"Mmhmm. But how is it that you manage to never get caught?" Hayden asked, "That's what I want to know."

"I have no idea, it's just luck I guess." I smirked, "Or I'm just good at what I do."

"How do you expect to find this guy, anyway?" Hayden asked, changing the subject again.

"I don't know, but I'll never know it's him if I can't decipher this." I replied, then raising my voice, "And I'll never finish if the people helping me don't stop stuffing their faces with _my_ food!"

"Coming Mel!" Kaya mumbled loudly, through what must have been a mouthful of food, "Cam, Cam, break's over! Cam what are you doing? Cam! Mel will kill you if she finds out you got into her Gardettos!"

"Well, she always eats the good ones and leaves the cruddy ones for us." Cam complained.

"I can hear you!" I called, "Get in here!"

"Coming!" Cam yelled.

"Eew Cam, close your mouth." Kaya scowled and wrinkled her nose as they entered the room. "That is disgusting."

"Can we please get back to work?" I questioned, "Or do you need to devour more of my food supply before hand?"

"We'll work we promise." Kaya replied, scowling at Cam, "We're full."

"You have to be serious, and I mean completely serious." I commanded.

"We will, we promise, right Cam?" Kaya glared toward Cam.

"Right." Cam nodded vigorously.

"So believable!" Hayden joked.

"Hey!" Cam exclaimed, "I put the Gardettos away didn't I?"

"There better be some left." I threatened.

"There is, I promise." Cam replied, nodding.

"You're buying me another bag." I replied simply watching him closely, "And you're a terrible liar."

"I didn't lie! There is some left." Cam said, "You're just not going to like any of the ones that are left."

"I can't believe you!" I shook my head, "No more breaks for you, until you get me a new bag."

"Fine. Fair enough." Cam agreed, "It wouldn't be like this if you shared the good kinds."

"Mmhmm." I rolled my eyes, "Let's get back to work."

In a single day we worked out almost half of the prediction. It all started with on idea about a mark and everything began to fall into place. After that session I had a list of six characteristics stored away. We even expanded on the 'marked by evil' idea to make another trait beyond that of being scarred. By the end of that day I felt accomplished, and like a small bit of the burden had been lifted from my shoulders.

"So, I'll see you all Monday." Hayden replied as he stretched his arms and pulled himself off my couch, "My parents will go ballistic if I'm late, that is if they're even home when I get there. Anyways, I'll see you."

Hayden gathered his things and headed for the door. I stood and made to follow and with a quick wave of my hand Kaya and Cam plopped back down in their seats. I followed Hayden out my front door and closed it behind me.

"Hayden wait!" I called.

"What's on your mind, Melanie?" Hayden asked turning around and walking back toward me.

"Are you okay? With the situation with your parents, I mean." I inquired.

"Are you?" Hayden responded.

"Am I what?" I frowned.

"Are you all right with the situation with _your_ parents?" Hayden replied.

"Of course not, but what..." I stammered out.

"When you come to terms with your relationship with your parents," Hayden began, "Then I'll come to terms with mine. Not before."

"Why?" I questioned, "Why does it matter to you?"

"I could ask you the same question." Hayden responded.

"I'm 'a problem solver, obsessed with making everything right in the world.' It's in my file." I said.

"Well, it's wrong." Hayden replied simply.

"Why would you say that?" I asked.

"You're a problem solver, that's true, and you're obsessed with making the world right, but you have no passion for fixing your own problems." Hayden explained, "And what good does it do to fix the world, when you will never fix your problems?"

"I'm not ready." I snapped, "And it's none of your business."

"And my family matters aren't any of your business, but you're sticking your nose in it anyway!" Hayden replied coolly. "So I think it's only fair, that I share with you, what you share with me. Fix things with your parents and I'll try and fix things with mine. Deal?"

"Deal." I murmured.

"Good, I'll se you in a couple of days Eldens." Hayden smiled.

"See you around, Parker." I reciprocated.

"Bye." Hayden nodded and started off down the street and I returned to my house.

Almost immediately after I entered the living room, I was pounced on by Kaya, "So?"

"So, what?" I questioned.

"How'd it go? What did you say? What did he say? Is it him? Hmm? Hmm?" Kaya exclaimed.

"I don't know." I responded my eyes wide, "Okay Kaya, please stop talking now."

"How do you not know?" Kaya squealed.

"Do you know of any hidden scars of his that I don't know about? No? Didn't think so. So, yeah, I don't know." I replied, "Plus I've got other things to deal with."

"Like what?" Cam inquired, coming over to the couch I had slumped into with Kaya right beside me.

""I made Hayden a deal." I said, " He won't hand the situation with his parents until I deal with mine."

"What?" Kaya called.

"He has problems with his parents, and he won't try and fix it or tell me how he feels about it...until I get over my problems with my parents." I explained. "I want to help him, but he won't let me."

"Maybe he thinks you need to help yourself before you go off trying to help someone else." Kaya suggested, "And maybe he's right."

"You think so?" I asked sarcastically.

"Well yes!" Kaya exclaimed, "You're always concerned about helping everyone else and _never _concerned with helping yourself and right now you _need_ to fix this! You can't go on acting like your parents don't exist."

"I've done a good job of it so far!" I responded, "Haven't you noticed?"

"God, Mel, you can't do this anymore! You have to forgive them or at least talk to them." Kaya jumped from her seat, "Stop acting like a baby!"

"Excuse me! I'm not acting like a baby, you're the younger one!" I scowled.

"I might be the younger one, but for the last few months you've been acting childish!" Kaya yelled.

"You have got to be kidding me!" I exclaimed.

"I'm serious Mel!" Kaya replied, "This has got to stop. Hayden's right, your problems should come first."

"Fine, I'll handle it then!" I screamed, then in a softer tone, "I just don't know how."

"We'll help, we promise." Kaya said, "We've got your back, always. Remember that."

"I do." I nodded.

"Sometimes it seems like you don't." Kaya replied, "But we're always here, if you need us."

"He's right isn't he? My parents are such great people. They are there, waiting. Always." I said, "Why couldn't I see that these past few months?"

"You were angry and hurt. You didn't want to see their good side in the moment. You wanted to focus on their bad side so you could hold it against them." Kaya stated. "But you should be over that by now."

"I've been so stupid haven't I?" I shook my head.

"Yeah, but anyone would have done the same thing had they been in your situations, although it isn't very likely anyone else ever will be in that situation ever again, but hey." Kaya laughed.

"How am I going to fix this?" I asked.

"In the best way you can." Kaya replied, "That's all you can do."


	11. Parental Guidance Can Go Too Far

A/N: Please R&R. Thanks a bunch.

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter or associated characters/story lines. I do however own Melanie, her friends, family and the plot of this fic. Yay me!

**Chapter Eleven: **

**Parental Guidance Can Go Too Far **

My plan was to just get them both sitting down so I could talk it all through with them. The problem was that after nearly three months of my avoiding them, they had started to avoid me. They were giving me my space. It was going to be hard to get them to stay put in a room, alone with me, for longer than two minutes. For a week, my multiple attempts at catching them all failed horribly.

"This is hopeless!" I groaned during lunch, one day at school. I dropped my head to the table and continued in a muffled voice, "They won't stay put! They're avoiding me as much as I avoided them."

"Maybe you're approaching this the wrong way." Hayden suggested. He had taken to sitting with us during lunch instead of alone at a table in the corner.

"And how exactly would you do it?" I questioned raising my head and glaring at him. "'Cause I supposed it's a better way."

"The way I always do." Hayden replied, and took a bite of the sandwich I had given him just moments before. "You see I've always had trouble keeping my parents in the same room with me. But when I need them to sign something or other or whatever I've got to get them sitting down for at least five minutes. I'm a master in that department. And I'm well experienced."

"Is there anything you can't do?" I mock squealed.

"Seriously Mel, this needs to be done the right way or it won't work." Kaya replied, "Because the longer you wait, the harder it's going to be."

"I know, but if I can't get them to listen, I won't be able to do it anyway." I said.

"Sneak up on them. I know you don't want to shock and surprise them, but it may be the only way to catch them off guard long enough to get them to stay put." Hayden suggested, "It works too. I do it all the time."

"I don't want to give them a heat attack." I responded.

"It might be the only way." Cam said, "And if it works, then that's good. If it doesn't then we'll just help you figure out a different way to do it."

"I'll try. But it's going to be hard to do in these next few weeks. All of the autumn-and-winter regulars are starting to come in. Mrs. Dublin's flooing in at seven forty-five next Tuesday. The Hutchkinsons arrived yesterday and will be here for two more weeks. Then there is the Taylor family with the five kids, and the oldest Mercue daughter just got married so they've turned the annual vacation into a honeymoon for her and the new son-in-law. They're super busy and they're spending increasing amounts of time at the hotel. I want to do it at home and not in the office of our hotel!" I rambled quickly.

"You talk way too fast!" Hayden replied, "I think I caught maybe three words out of that whole thing!"

"Is it sad that I understood every word she said?" Kaya questioned with a laugh.

"Yes, very." Hayden smiled and nodded, "But hey, if you understood at least you're not confused."

"Stop making fun of me! I don't appreciate it. I'm just very anxious. I talk fast when I'm like that." I scowled.

"I just hope you don't talk that fast when you finally get your parents to listen." Hayden replied.

"Whatever." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"How juvenile!" Hayden scoffed.

"Juvenile? This coming from the guy who can't go a day without causing some kind of immature trouble." I retorted.

"I can too!" Hayden defended.

"Name one day that you didn't." I challenged, "And not getting caught doesn't count."

"Fine, yesterday." Hayden replied.

We all sat there a moment, thinking it over. I played over all the things we did the day before. I tilted my head as we thought. Kaya and Cam had the same contemplative look on their faces.

"You guys have to think about it?" Hayden exclaimed, "I'm offended."

"Well..." I began.

"Forget it I cannot believe you guys." Hayden scowled.

"I'm sorry, you're just such an immature, troublesome, crazy..." I started.

"I wouldn't finish that if I were you." Hayden warned.

"Why not?" I replied.

"While I may be an immature, troublesome, crazy, blah, blah, blah I am also very skilled in the art of...revenge." Hayden interrupted, "And I am not above using said skills against you."

"You don't know me very well Parker. I could do more damage to you blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back, without moving from my seat, than you could ever do to me." I smiled, "So try me."

"Ooo!" Kaya called.

"I think I'll take my chances." Hayden replied.

"He's a brave one Mel." Kaya said.

"Or just stupid." Cam added.

"Osman! You're supposed to be on my side! Us guys got to stick together!" Hayden responded.

"Sorry Parker. I've found it's not a good idea to side against Mel. Past experience, you see." Cam said, "Sorry."

"Whatever." Hayden replied, "I see how it is."

"It's just Mel's so...terrifying when she's angry and it's aimed at you." Cam explained. "Believe me I know."

"You know you could just _not _say stupid, hurtful things to Kaya and I wouldn't get angry." I replied.

"Mmhmm." Kaya nodded in agreement.

"Am I a bad boyfriend? Huh? Am I?" Cam asked sarcastically, "'Cause if I am, just dump me right now and go off to find someone better."

"Okay." Kaya replied, and made to get out of her chair.

"Kaya, I think he was joking." I replied with a laugh.

"Was he? Sorry Cam. I thought you were serious." Kaya shrugged.

"Very funny." Cam rolled his eyes.

"I thought so." Hayden snickered.

"Shut up, Parker." Cam scowled.

"Oh Cam, lighten up." I smiled, "It was just a joke. He's a great boyfriend, right Kaya?"

After a long pause, "Am I supposed to answer truthfully?"

"Kaya, you should probably quit while you're ahead, because I may just decide to dump you instead and take Ari up on her offer." Cam replied in a serious tone, but he struggled to keep a straight face.

"Yeah like you'd leave me for her, funny." Kaya chuckled, "I don't think so, buddy. Unless you're looking for an early death at the hands of Mel, here."

"No one should leave anyone for Ari, but that seems to be an increasing trend lately." I said.

"I don't like it." Kaya added. "It's like a sign of the Apocalypse. The next thing you know Mel's going to go soft and Parker's going to turn to the church!"

Laughter broke out around the table and wouldn't control itself. The fact that Kaya had said that while Hayden was in the midst of drinking his soda only made it worse. The second the words 'Parker' and 'church' were used in the same sentence in relation to each other, Hayden sprayed soda all over us. Mainly just Kaya and Cam though, since I was wise enough to duck just before—I saw it coming I guess.

"Thanks a bunch, Parker. That was enjoyable." Kaya said with a false happy voice, smiled and scrunched up her nose as she wiped soda off of herself.

"It's your own fault!" Hayden replied, "Turn to the church. Ha. Ha. Never in a million years."

"I would love to see it. Heck, I'd pay to see it. A 'holy-oriented' Hayden. Oh! It would be hilarious." I smiled. "But you're right Kaya, the world would probably end if that ever happened. And me going soft, the very thought of that happening is bogus."

"And a sign of the Apocalypse! I told you." Kaya exclaimed.

"Sure." I nodded, and then changed the subject. "Now, how am I going to get my parents to listen to me?"

"I'm telling you, it's not the hardest thing to do." Hayden replied, "You're making it too difficult on yourself."

"It's hard for me!" I called, "It's harder for me than it is for you! I never fight with my parents...not like this. Never like this. It's never this bad between us. I don't know how to fix this. I don't know what do say. I'm just so...I don't know. I just, I just...I just feel so completely confused."

"Look Melanie, I didn't mean to say it like that. I didn't want to upset you." Hayden replied frantically, "I'm sorry."

"They just wen too far with this. They crossed that line from support to manipulation!" I said angrily. "And it hurts still. I want to forgive them, but they're making it really hard to do that. I want to believe they were trying to help me, but with all the stupid, dramatic trouble that's been caused by it, it's hard to understand it or even believe it. They went too far, now I have to go out of my way to fix their mistake? Is that fair?"

"Mel, you're just frustrated with not being able to get them to talk to you." Kaya replied, "And it won't do you any good to give up now!"

"My parents aren't supposed to do things like this. My parents are the ones who everyone is supposed to admire. My parents are supposed to be like my friends, the ones I can talk to and tell things to. The things they do shouldn't hurt this much!" I exclaimed. "My parents are supposed to be the ones who _never _hurt me."

"They are." Kaya corrected, "But you shouldn't let one bad choice on their part to ruin your relationship. I know that much."

"I just want things to go back to normal. I want things to be like they were, _before_." I said. I used the term loosely, but everyone knew what I meant.

"In order for that to happen, someone has to take the first step." Kaya replied.

"But why does it have to be me?" I sighed.

"I don't know." Kaya answered, "It just does."


	12. Ready Or Not, Here I Come

A/N: I'm really happy with the response I've gotten since my last update. I would really like to have some feedback though. I promise I will get back to the 'present' in the story soon. I think maybe four more chapters before that. And after I get to the present almost immediately after there will be more of the actual Harry Potter stuff. But AU of course. Not that I even want to acknowledge that HBP ever happened or anything. But thanks a bunch for reading please review!

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter or associated characters/story lines. I do however own Melanie, her friends, family and the plot of this fic. Yay me!

**Chapter Twelve: **

**Ready Or Not, Here I Come **

My parents have always been ones to take surprises in stride. I blame it on their apt ability to spring similar surprises on everyone around them. They're quite great at both, I must admit from past experience of seeing both. With this knowledge, I hoped they would be able to take my popping in on them well. Our hotel, scratch that hotels, have always been popular around wintertime, with Christmas and all. However odd it may sound, our Christmas crowd begins coming in around October. With that crowd comes the autumn-and-winter regulars, not to be confused with the spring-and-summer regulars. Granted there are quite a few more of the AAWs than the SASs. In the last few months of the year—right around the middle of my school year—my parents get frantic. Certain preparations haven't been made for our special guests—our regulars, the ones that are almost like family. The Christmas schedules haven't been made up, let alone handed out. Plans for the annual Christmas Bash are way behind schedule and are going nowhere in the right direction. All the usual problems and worries. Getting them together in one room, alone, at our house was posing a problem. Hence my three a.m. wake up call. I would apologize for that later.

I almost felt guilty for waking them up so early when they had been working so hard, for so long the last couple of months. Then I realized if I didn't do it this way, who knows how long it would be before I got another opportunity—not involving waking up before four in the morning. So I did it. I just went for it.

That taking it in stride thing, yeah, it doesn't apply to a half-asleep mother at three in the morning.

"Melanie? What happened? Are you all right? Is your sister okay? Where is she? It's Dani isn't it? Oh my God! Did you just get in? Did you go out? Because it's a school night young lady!" My mom called frantically.

"Nothing. Yes. Yes. In her room, sleeping, I would guess. No. No. No. And it's Saturday, not a school night. Saturday morning that is." I answered each question individually.

"Melanie, it's three in the morning." My dad replied.

"It's important." I stated.

"This important?" My mom questioned, raising her eyebrows.

"If you'd rather I make an appointment for a better time..." I scowled.

"Melanie," My dad shook his head, "That's not funny."

"Well that's how it feels like lately." I replied, "So are you going to listen?"

"You've been the same way since July, Melanie." My dad added.

"I'm trying to change that, can't you see?" I corrected. "Now, are you going to listen?"

"Of course, honey." My mom nodded, scowling at her husband.

"Here it goes. I'm sorry for everything since July. I really am. It's just finding out that you lied—don't tell me you didn't, omission is just as much of a betrayal as calling something else the truth is—to me for seven years hurt a lot. Unimaginably. I couldn't find it in me to forgive you then, or in the last few months. But I can now. And I want things back to normal between us. I just hope you'll stop this let's-avoid-Melanie-she's-a-ticking-time-bomb thing because I'm through with that. I'm not angry anymore. I'm just frustrated that I couldn't get the two of you alone at home for so long." I rambled quickly and after taking a long deep breath I finished, "God Hayden was right, I do talk fast."

"Do you mean that?" My mom asked.

"Of course I do. I don't lie." I responded sharply and I watched my mom flinch. That must have stung. I hadn't even meant for it to.

"Well, that could be debated." My mom replied, "I am your mother and no matter how angry you get at me, you will speak to me with respect."

"Look, I just want this to stop, and I want to know why you did it." I said.

"We don't have to explain ourselves to you Melanie." My mom stated harshly.

"Honey," My dad interrupted, "I think _you_ do."

I had been right. My mother had made the decision, it wasn't a combined effort. My dad had said as much. He just played along with the lie. I wasn't surprised, it was often like that. My dad made rash decisions, running completely on instinct and intuition. My mom made quick decisions while still considering all outcomes, consequences, and ways to go about it. She usually overruled him, especially when it came to Dani and me. I knew it. He knew it. She knew it. Everyone knew it.

"I just want to know why you did it." I said again.

"I made a judgment call, and that's it." My mom replied, "Period. End of story."

"Bull." I called, "I want a real answer, a decent answer."

"You were eight-years-old Melanie, what did you want me to do?" My mom responded.

"To tell me the truth! I thought we were always honest with each other. We didn't hide things like this from each other. God! Is it that hard to just tell me the truth?"

"You were too young." My mom snapped, "A child."

"Yeah, and Sam isn't? The girl got hers earlier than anyone in the history of our family! Julie and Joey aren't keeping it from her. She's barely five years old. They're using it to teach her how to read, and before that they read it to her every night. How is it any different?" I questioned.

"Sam doesn't understand, she's too young to." My mom explained. "And Julie and I are two different people. We are going to make different choices in how we raise our children."

"I could've understood. I would have, but you didn't even trust me to." I said simply, "I want the truth."

"Melanie, you weren't ready for it. I made a choice. I risked the consequences, and I moved on." My mom replied, "That's the truth."

"But you knew. You knew I wanted it so bad." I added.

"I didn't want to limit your life to guys who fit the profile. I wanted you to live normally, _date_ normally for a few years." My mom explained. "My whole social life was dominated by mine, clouded, it was confining. I hated it. I didn't want you to go through that experience."

"I should have had a choice." I replied, "I had a right to it."

"My decision was final. Sometimes mother's have to do that to protect their daughters." My mom corrected, "That's just how it is. I'm sorry you didn't like it."

"Fine. Just some advice, don't do the same thing to Dani. Unless you already are...and I just don't know about it. But whatever, I forgive you. You forgive me. Good enough. Now I can sort things out with Hayden." I replied turning to leave.

"So that's what this is about, a boy?" My mom exclaimed.

"No." I said. "He's a friend, I want to help him, but you see, my life was so screwed up he figured I needed to fix my problems before attempting his."

"Smart boy." My dad piped up.

"Yeah he is." Then with an obvious look to my mom, "With green eyes."


	13. The Difference

A/N: Please review and tell me how I'm doing, I'd like to know what you think. This chapter starts off immediately after the last one. They were originally going to be one big chapter but I changed my mind. Thanks for reading! --Mac

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter or associated characters/story lines. I do however own Melanie, her friends, family and the plot of this fic. Yay me!

**Chapter Thirteen: **

**The Difference **

As soon as the last word left my lips I turned and left the room. I didn't even wait to see their reaction. I just slipped into my room quietly. I didn't come out of my room until late afternoon when I left immediately to meet Kaya, Cam and Hayden. I said a quick goodbye to Dani and left a note taped to the outside of my bedroom door for my parents. When I got to the restaurant, I spotted Hayden immediately. He was sitting at a table alone.

"Hayden!" I called.

"Hey Melanie." Hayden voiced as I sat down next to him, "Kaya's running late, Cam had to go pick her up or something."

"No, it's good. I need to talk to you anyway." I said.

"What's up?" Hayden questioned, looking a little confused.

"I talked to my parents." I said, "At three this morning."

"How did it go?" Hayden asked.

"Great. Just perfect." I smiled. "Everything is cool between us again. I guess. They told me, rather my mom told me, that they lied to me because she made a final decision, a judgment call, basically that I had no right to make my own decisions and she didn't care if I liked it or not. But I told them I forgive them and things are going to be okay."

"You're still hurt." Hayden stated.

"And you're not blind." I sighed, "I don't know what it is. I just thought letting them, her, whoever explain it wouldn't hurt so much anymore, but I only feel worse now. They acted like I attacked them..."

"Did you?" Hayden inquired.

"No, the first thing I did was apologize a long, drawn out, rambled apology. I make one bad choice of words and my mother goes off on me! She called me a liar." I exclaimed.

"Really?" Hayden frowned.

"Not exactly, but she might as well had. I said 'I don't lie' and she said 'that could be debated' in that tone parents get when they think you're lying." I replied.

"Well do you lie?" Hayden asked with a smirk. "Because I know for a fact that you do."

"Of course I do, but little ones not seven years long ones." I responded, "Nothing big."

"What did you tell them about me?" Hayden asked suddenly.

"What do you mean?" I questioned.

"I'm at your house almost as much as Kaya and Cam. I go in and out of your room as I please. I'm sure they've asked about me. What did you say?" Hayden clarified.

"Sure they asked about you. I didn't really say much, just that you're a friend helping me with some things, just like Kaya and Cam." I answered.

"But I'm not like Kaya and Cam, I'm sure they can tell that. Did you tell them about my reputation? Did you tell them that you think you're little prediction might be about me? Hmm?" Hayden replied.

"How did you?" I stuttered, completely caught off guard.

"You think I don't notice? You look at me different, like you're sizing me up. You study me more than that piece of paper. I know you tried to hide that little green eyes bit from me, but I got that the first time I read it. I'm smarter that that Melanie." Hayden explained.

"Oh." I said quietly, "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize." Hayden shook his head, "That's not why I said it."

"I didn't realize you knew..." I started.

"Look, it's not a big deal. Just don't worry about it anymore." Hayden interrupted.

"Okay, I nodded. "Forgiven?"

"Of course." Hayden agreed with a smile.

"I bet you twenty bucks that Kaya and Cam won't show up." I replied, changing the subject.

"You're on." Hayden accepted and shook my hand.

"Come on." I said and pulled him out of his chair.

I led him to the pay phones in the back of the restaurant by the restrooms. I searched my pockest for some change, before reaching my hand out to request some from Hayden. He shook his head violently, and I shook my hand harder, _yes_.

"Your idea, your quarter." Hayden stated simply.

"Fine," I scowled at him, I looked around and saw an older woman exiting the women's bathroom. I stopped her, "Excuse me ma'am, my brother here and I need to make a very important call, it seems we've found ourselves without a ride home, and I'm a little short, could you possibly spare some change?"

I said it in the sweetest voice I could possibly manage and the woman smiled brightly at me, "Of course, honey, I would be glad to."

As she looked down to pull a change purse out of her bag, I gave Hayden a satisfied look. She turned back to me not long after.

"Here you go, sweetheart." She replied as she dropped some coins into my hand, 'Get home safe, dears."

She continued off into the din of the restaurant, and as soon as she was out of hearing range, Hayden exclaimed, "Brother? _Brother_?"

"It was more believable, plus it gets the sympathy vote. Friend doesn't work half as well. And would you rather I said boyfriend?" I explained.

"Well..." Hayden began.

"Rhetorical question." I stated as I slipped the coins into the payphone.

"You just scammed an old woman out of her spare change." Hayden smirked, "And she didn't doubt you in the slightest."

"Shh!" I whispered as I dialed Kaya's number. After two rings or so, Kaya answered breathlessly, "Hey Kaya. Where are you? Hayden said you guys were running late."

"Oh...can't make it...parents won't let me...chores or...something." Kaya mumbled.

"Is that right. Chores, huh?" I said watching Hayden with a smirk, "What about Cam? Wasn't he supposed to be coming to pick you up?"

"Don't know...never...showed up." Kaya replied obviously preoccupied.

"He never showed up?" I called in a fake angry voice, "Maybe I should call him and see what happened. How dare he not show! I'm going to call him right now."

"No!" Kaya exclaimed loudly.

"Why not?" I asked.

"I'll talk to him. He is my boyfriend." Kaya said.

"Okay, you talk to him." I replied, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow or something."

"Yeah, sure. Gotta go, bye." Kaya muttered and a dial tone reached my ears seconds later.

"Pay up, buddy." I smirked and pushed Hayden playfully.

"How about I buy you dinner and call it even?" Hayden suggested.

"Fine." I agreed with a laugh, "But you're buying me steak!"

After dinner, Hayden and I headed back to my house. It was closest and I still hadn't got to ask him about his parents. My parents weren't home at the time, they were working overnight at the hotel--I peeked at their schedule a few days before.

"My parents aren't home, make yourself comfortable." I replied as we entered the living room.

"Mine probably not either, probably because they were expecting me home right about now." Hayden joked. "But hey, I'm better off here anyway."

"What are you going to do about them?" I asked, sitting down beside him on the couch.

"I don't know." Hayden answered, "I used to talk about it with my grandma--I don't anymore. I just remember her saying that they got married too young, before they were ready for the commitment and that when they had me, they just weren't suited to be 'normal' parents. And they're there, I see them, I've talked to them, I but they're not _there_ there. You know what I mean? They're not 'there' like your parents are."

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked quietly.

"No, I don't think so." Hayden responded, "I kinda like having friends for once in my life. As long as you guys stick around, I think I'll be fine."

"You can't only depend on us." I stated matter-of-factly.

"I don't. I depend on myself too." Hayden corrected. "You can only trust yourself, right? Everyone else has to earn it."

"Yeah." I agreed, "There's nothing but truth to that."

"I just wish more people were like you and your family: caring, supportive, and loving." Hayden whispered, "You're such great people."

"There's nothing more important than family. You need your family, Hayden." I stated, "You have to do something. Anything."

"They won't change. I know they won't I doesn't matter what I say. It doesn't matter what I do. They will never change." Hayden exclaimed, "Or maybe they will when hell freezes over. _Twice._"

"I don't believe that. Everyone has the potential to change, to improve themselves." I shook my head.

"And that would make you a romantic." Hayden said.

"And what's wrong with that?" I questioned, my eyebrows raised. "I believe it. You just have to give them the opportunity to change."

"I just don't think they would. I could give them all the opportunities in the would and they wouldn't take them. I believe that." Hayden replied, "And there is nothing wrong with being a romantic. One of us has to have hope, I guess."

"They could change, I know they could." I exclaimed forcefully.

"They wouldn't change for me." Hayden stated, "I know that."

"And why not?" I called, "You should be the most important part of their lives! You should be the center of their worlds! I mean you're such a great guy...They're your mom and dad!"

"There's a difference between a mom and dad and a mother and father." Hayden replied calmly, "You have a mom and dad. I have a mother and father."

"Explain it to me." I smiled, "I want to know how you see it."

"Your parents, well, they're real parents. They would do anything for you and your sister without a moment's hesitation. Mine wouldn't do anything for me unless it served some sick benefit for them. Your parents can tell when you're hurt or upset. Mine wouldn't notice if I screamed it in their faces." Hayden explained, "A mom and a dad are caring and loving. A mother and a father are just that, the people who gave birth to you. Nothing more, nothing less."

"You don't stop blinking, and you chew on the inside of your mouth." I said suddenly.

"Huh?" Hayden frowned, confusion setting in over his features.

"When you're upset you blink a lot and chew on the inside of your mouth." I clarified.

"You noticed?" Hayden questioned.

"Of course I did. What kind of friend do you think I am?" I smirked, "Why won't you let me help you?"

"I just don't think they could change enough to make a difference." Hayden replied, "And knowing you if it didn't work out, you'll blame yourself. I don't want that."

"You'd rather live like you do now?" I questioned firmly, disbelief evident in my voice.

"Yes. I've got you." Hayden smiled, "And you make up for 'the difference.'"

A/N: I wrote this when my sister was watching the movie _Sleepover_ for like the twenty millionth time in a week. It inspired that line about hell freezing over. Anyways...Please, please, please (I'm begging you) review! Thanks a bunch.

-Mac


	14. Relief Couldn't Come Soon Enough

A/N: This chapter is really, really short. But I couldn't quite find a way to connected to any other chapter, so here it is. Thanks a bunch for reading, but please review! I really would like to see how you guys think I'm doing...PLEASE REVIEW! -Mac

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, unfortunately. But I do, however, own Melanie, her family and friends, and this story line, thankfully. It will help curb my grief for not making a cent off of this. jk.

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Relief Couldn't Come Soon Enough**

For months a single paper had been steering my life in every direction. I couldn't completely say it was a horrible experience, it brought me Hayden and allowed me to see my parents in a different light, which eventually strengthened our relationship. It had only excalated the whole situation by trying to handle Kian and Ari and all the garbage they created. I could get past that, though, and that was what I set out to do. I put a lot of time and energy into that little piece of paper.

And it was about to pay off.

After I talked to my parents and Hayden that day, everything began to fall into place. I had my parents back and new things just began to appear before my eyes as we worked on the prediction--things I hadn't seen before. Hayden said my 'seeing' abilities may have been clouded by my distrust of, and anger toward, my parents. I couldn't not admit that I felt the same way about it. I hadn't been completely focused and it threw me off, way off.

As slow as it began, it finished so quickly. By the beginning of the New Year we were finished, finally finished. Now I just had to find him.

My relief couldn't have come soon enough.


	15. If You Knew, What Would You Do?

A/N: This chapter is going to be a bit longer to make up for the itty-bitty chapter fourteen. Thanks for reading. Review, please. -Mac

Disclaimer: I wish I could say I own Harry Potter, but sadly I can't.

**Chapter Fifteen**

**If You Knew, What Would You Do?**

"If you knew, what would you do?"

The words slipped from Kaya's lips with such ease it seemed like she wasn't talking about something as big as it was. It came without reserve as if it was as trivial as the weather. He seemed to be the only topic for conversation--he being the person described in my prediction--since we finished just over a month before. Kaya had taken to questioning me on the things that I intended to do once I had found him. I had to consider her question momentarily. If I knew who he was, what would I do?

"I don't..." I began.

"Wait, before you answer..." Kaya stopped me, "I have a few hypothetical questions."

"For what?" I asked, confused.

"Just answer truthfully, okay." Kaya replied, ignoring my question.

"Okay, shoot." I agreed.

"Do you intend to search for him or let him find you naturally?" Kaya started.

"I don't think that qualifies as hypothetical. I think I'll let us find each other naturally."

"But if you knew where he might, would you look for him?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"Where he might be and how reliable the source is."

"What if he was in another country?"

"Only if I know exactly who I'm looking for: name, appearance, and address. I don't know. I don't think I would know it's him until I've met him, and I wouldn't want to go on some spontaneous search across the globe and turn up that it's not him."

"If you knew the name, the face, where to find him?"

"Then I would probably go."

"You don't think it would be better to let fate run it's course?"

"Sometimes fate isn't enough." I stated suddenly after a moment of thought.

"Then you want to find him as soon as possible? You don't, or won't want to wait twenty years to have him find you?"

"It's a romantic idea to meet him or run into him on the street and look into his eyes and just know. To just know without a doubt or second thought that he's the one. To fall in love at first sight. It's a beautiful idea. But that's all it is...an idea. Love doesn't work that way, especially true love. It's not easy, it's not meant to be. True love is more likely to appear between two polar opposites, who think they hate each other, and fight to no end, than it is between two people who agree on everything. Because people, who agree on everything, must be changing themselves to agree, since no one can have the exact same opinions on everything. It's just not possible. People who are different and have fights all the time--ones that don't push the other to run, screaming, in the other direction--refuse to compromise, especially when it comes to them. They bring everything they have to the table because they know if the other really loves them they should accept and love everything they are--without having to change." I explained, "True love means work. There is no way around it."

"So if you knew who he was, where to find him, and that he was in another country, would you go alone?" Kaya asked an odd look in her eyes.

"Now my parents wouldn't allow that would they?" I smiled, "But if someone was to go with me, someone they could trust, and would look out for me..."

"I'd love to go with you!" Kaya squealed.

"Oh, well yeah you, but I was thinking more along the lines of Hayden." I joked, "But I guess you'll do."

"That's not funny, Mel." Kaya scowled.

"Oh you know I was thinking about you." I replied.

"I know, I know." Kaya nodded.

"Then smile, I'll take you with me." I said, smiling brightly, "Smile, Kaya, sm-i-le!"

The corners of her lips twitched slightly as she tried to force the rising smile from bubbling out. Finally, when she could no longer hold it, her lips curled up into one of the widest smiles I've ever seen on her. Then it disappeared, replaced with a serious expression that matched the serious tone that laced her voice when she spoke next.

"If I knew, would you want me to tell you?" Kaya inquired her eyes cast downward, a sure sign this question was _not_ hypothetical.

"Do you know?" I asked after a moment.

"Would you want me to tell you?" Kaya responded.

"Yes! Of course I would." I exclaimed my eyes wide, "Do you know?"

"I have an idea." Kaya replied, "But I can't be sure."

"Tell me!" I said forcefully.

"I just...I don't want you to go rushing off on a whim and not think it through, like you're prone to do." Kaya rambled. "And I don't want you to leave me behind, and Cam has to come too. You'll have to wait until after summer. I just want to know you'll be rational."

"Rational?" I scowled, "You're asking _me_ to be rational?"

"Yes." Kaya nodded, "This kind of thing needs time to be considered. It can't be an impulsive thing. You can't go crazy on me, Melanie. I need you level headed if I'm going to tell you what I think..."

"Level headed-ness isn't one of my strong suits." I replied.

"Well it had better be today, or you get nothing out of me." Kaya responded her voice level.

She meant business. The tone of voice she was using at this moment was very rare with her. It only made itself heard when she wanted a no bull conversation--something else that was rare when it came to us. The last time I heard it was a month into her relationship with Cam, when she was waging an internal war on whether she should end things while she could still salvage their friendship or to try and work things out. I took a deep breath. Of course I would do my best to stay calm and collected, think all my actions through and remain 'level headed', but I couldn't promise anything. I was me after all, and I have my father's genes.

"I'll try my best Kaya, truly though I can't promise anything." I said quietly, "What do you know?"

"I have an idea. A suggestion. Whatever you want to call it." Kaya replied, "It's kind of shocking, but in a good way...possibly. But I think he already fits more of the traits than any other guy you could possibly know. And it's not all of them, but I think some could only be determined by meeting him, talking to him, getting to know him..."

I had to interrupt because she began to ramble again, "Who is this '_him_'?"

"Well, I can't just say it..."

"Sure you can."

"No I can't..."

"Kaya, tell me already!"

Kaya shook her head violently. She was scared to tell me, the look shining in her eyes told me so. After a moment or so of still silence, Kaya turned away from me and started shifting through a bag she had brought with her. She pulled out what looked like a magazine and slid it face down across the table to me. It landed right in front of me and I just stared at it for awhile, not sure what it was or what to do.

"Well?" Kaya mumbled.

"'Well', what?" I responded.

"Just look at it." Kaya pushed it closer to me with only a slight look at me.

"Only if you assure me that it's not an underwear catalog or a dirty magazine." I joked, with a smile. I was trying to break the ice that had formed between us in less than five minutes of this conversation.

"Of course it's not. How in the world would an innocent child like myself get a hold of something like that?" Kaya rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure someone like you could find a way." I shook my head with a laugh.

"Was that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?" Kaya asked her brow furrowed.

"Well, if you can't tell..." I began.

"And it just turned into an insult." Kaya laughed.

"So what is this anyway?" I asked, nudging the magazine with a finger.

"Just turn it over." Kaya replied.

"Okay."

I picked it up cautiously. If anyone was watching us they probably would have thought I was handling a bomb seconds away from exploding. I turned it over with equal caution and after a deep breath looked. I stared into a very familiar face, but not one I knew personally. I looked right into the green eyes of a person I would never have thought of...Thank God for Kaya.

Thank God for keeping me in my chair.

Thank God for my ability to keep myself from fainting.


	16. Monosyllable Responses

A/N: This is a very short chapter. I tried, but I couldn't tie this in with the next chapter. So here it is... Please read and review. -Mac

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter or related characters or story lines.

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Monosyllable Responses**

"No, no, no, no..." I shook my head vigorously, "No, no, no. No, no. NO!"

Coherent thought was no longer an option. The only word that could form in my head was _no_, and it divided and multiplied in my mind a hundred times over. So many times that once the word reached my lips, it could only escape as a brief, punctuated rush of breath. Kaya looked on with a concerned look as I continued to mutter incomprehensibly. Suddenly, a speck on the table became very interesting to me.

It just couldn't be, it wasn't possible.

Silence is a blessing. At least it was for me in the minutes, hours and days after this suggestion of Kaya's. I thought it over, and over, and then over once again. I went back and forth from one opinion to another, changing as frequently as I blink my eyes._ She's right_, of course. _No,_ it couldn't be farther from reality. My mind was jostling all these unwanted, unclear, un-realistic thoughts in all directions. And I realized it was because I was listening to my head and not my heart that I couldn't settle myself...Again I couldn't 'see' clearly.

I had committed myself to one word, single syllable responses to any and all questions that were directed my way. Kaya. My parents. Even my sister sent a few my way. Are you okay? Yes. Have you eaten? Yep. Is this the levelheaded Mel we talked about? Sure. Can I borrow that blue skirt? A soft grunt and a shrug of the shoulders. I needed to get myself back on track.

It hit me, not long after, that I had agreed with her from the start. I was just scared out of my mind because it was _him_. Him, not meaning my true love. Not meaning the him the prediction was about. But _him_, a person everyone, with even an ounce of magic in their blood, had heard of. It scared the heck out of me, because I believed her. I _believed_ her.


	17. The Aftermath Of An Idea

A/N: I'm trying really hard to get a long chapter out. It's becoming harder to get back to the present. I guess I've gotten too caught up in the flashbacks...any hoo, just hold on for a couple more chapters and the real story will begin. Thanks to the-sexorcist for reminding me about the character summary thing I put up. It was meant to be left up only for the first few chapters, because I wasn't sure how much of a character description I would get in. I was going to remove it after like the first five or so, but I completely forgot. I think the story itself gets a good grasp of the characters, so it should be gone now. Thanks a bunch. R&R. (oh, and thanks for the reviews!) –Mac

P.S.-This fic takes place during late, late June, and the characters are just out of school (so the end of Order of the Phoenix has happened).

Disclaimer: Melanie is mine. Harry isn't. Too bad I can't have both.

**Chapter Seventeen**

**The Aftermath Of An Idea**

When I finally came to terms with what I thought of Kaya's suggestion, it had been a week. I had a lot of decisions to make on my hands. Who do I tell? Do I go looking? Do I stay? Could I even handle waiting? There were hundreds of questions, what ifs and doubts swirling in my head, but no answers. I've always had trouble with that sort of thing. I always had a thousand questions, but never any answers. I have an insatiable curiosity, my mom used to say. Always searching and looking for something new. I didn't always come up with something, though. I was digging and digging, trying to drudge something up, and coming up with nothing. That was happening a lot lately.

I came to the conclusion that there were some people I had to tell. Topping my list were Hayden and Cam. I needed to have my friends behind me before I went to my parents. And that was if I went to my parents. It could be awhile before that happened. I would need some sort of support, especially if my parents shot me down.

I wasn't worried about how Cam would react to it. At the most he would laugh. Actually, that was what I expected him to do. Hayden, on the other hand, was a different story. I didn't know how to handle him. I didn't want to approach him the wrong way. While he had become a great friend in a short time, slowly filling the void left by Kian, I had to admit I didn't know him well enough to gauge his reaction. Perhaps my hesitance was a result of knowing he knew I had been considering him as an option. All I knew, I was unexplainably scared to tell him.

I'm not one to get scared easily. There were only a few cases in my life when I was truly terrified. I wasn't scared of the dark, or of spiders, or of snakes and such when I was a child. I wasn't afflicted by twenty different phobias—like my grandmother. Heights, small spaces, open water—I could handle it. Hardly anything scared me. I was far from fearless, though. There are definitely things that scare me—just not that many—like Hayden in this case.

Kaya tried to help me plan a way to tell him. I couldn't figure out why I was so mortified. Kaya didn't seem to have a clue either, and not to be rude, but she usually doesn't have a clue. Fortunately Kaya was prepared to get me settled to tell him. We would tell them together, same time, same place. If I had Kaya standing with me, I might not be so nervous. Before I could stop her, Kaya invited Cam and Hayden to my house for the next day. I wasn't ready. In no way was I ready.

The next day I was tense and worked up from the moment I got out of bed. Because of it, when the doorbell rang I nearly jumped out of my skin. It was just Kaya. She patted me on my back and commented on how wide my eyes were when I opened the door. I had been sitting with Kaya on one of my couches trying to calm my breathing when the doorbell rang the second time. It jolted me from my seat and I found myself on the floor next to Kaya's feet. She let out a soft chuckle and made to get the door herself. It was Cam. I was still sitting on the floor when Kaya returned with Cam in tow. A gentle laugh escaped his lips, but he just shook his head and sat down.

When the doorbell rang for the third time I was prepared for it, in a way. I didn't fall off of anything that time. Granted, I was still sitting on the floor. I took a deep breath and pushed myself off the floor. I went slowly and eventually opened the door, coming face to face with Hayden.

I attempted a smile and failed before saying simply, "Hey Hayden."

"What happened?" Hayden asked as he stepped into my house and I closed the door behind him, "Are you fighting with your parents again? Are Kaya and Cam fighting again? Because I know they can get into it some times."

"Nothing happened." I shook my head. It was a lie, but a little one.

"Don't lie to me Melanie. I know that tone of voice you used when you opened the door. Something is wrong." Hayden corrected.

"Nothing is wrong, persay." I replied, "Come on, we'll explain everything."

"You had better." Hayden said, following me into the living room.

Kaya and Cam were waiting patiently when we came in. As Hayden took a seat, Kaya sat up and came to stand by me. We must have looked pretty serious, because Hayden took the chance to lighten the mood.

"Oh no, Cam I think they're breaking up with us!" Hayden replied with a chuckle and Cam joined in.

"Ha. Ha." I rolled my eyes. "We're trying to be serious here. This is something big for me."

"You found him." Hayden said simply after a moment of silence.

"We think so, at least." Kaya replied for me. She was holding the magazine in her hand tightly.

"So who is he?" Hayden asked, looking directly at me for an answer.

I sighed, "It was Kaya's idea, really. I believe her though. I think it's right, but I can't know for sure. I have to meet him first."

"So you don't know him?" Hayden questioned.

"Not personally."

"But you know of him?"

"Yes."

"Is he from around here? Do I know him?"

"Stop trying to guess Hayden, you won't figure it out. I would never have thought of him. Never in my life." I replied, "Let us tell you."

"Fine, but get on with it." Hayden mumbled.

"This is my idea..." Kaya said, and she placed the magazine, face up, on the coffee table.

Both of the guys leaned in to get a closer look. Almost immediately Cam broke out into a fit of laughter. He clutched his stomach after a moment. I had known, hadn't I? Hayden, throughout Cam's entire fit of laughter, had just stared at the magazine without moving.

Suddenly, he stood. He gave me an obvious look and turned to walk toward the door. He was telling me he wanted to talk to me alone, so I followed. I sat with him on the front porch after I closed the door behind us. We were quiet for what seemed like ages, before I found my tongue.

"So, what do you think?"

"I'm no sure what to think."

"Well, how do you _feel _about it?"

"Honestly? I don't know."

"Hayden, give me something."

"Look, Melanie I don't know what to think, I don't know what to feel. I'm really not sure how to handle this whole thing. Because I think I feel something, and I know I probably shouldn't, and I just...I'm confused that's all." Hayden exclaimed, an indeterminable emotion lacing his words.

"At least try to explain it to me."

"I think maybe I like that you were considering me. I think I liked that you looked at me differently. I don't know...Maybe it meant that I was different to you, that I was special to you in some way. But...Oh, just forget it."

"No, I won't forget it. Talk to me."

"I didn't have friends. My parents are MIA ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the time. I liked the feeling that someone cared that you cared. I liked being an option."

"Do you really feel _that_ way about me?"

"I don't know. I really, just, don't know. Maybe I do, or maybe you're just my best friend, and the first person that truly cared about me. I just don't want that feeling of having someone go away."

"Hayden." I murmured and sighed.

"I know it's stupid...I just—"

"No, it's not stupid." I interrupted, "You are special to me, that isn't going to change. You will always be special to me, just like Kaya and Cam..."

"Just like Kaya and Cam." Hayden repeated a bit angrily.

"You say that like it's a bad thing. Kaya and Cam have been my friends practically all my life. I've been friends with you for just over nine months—"

"Ten." Hayden corrected.

"—Ten months and you mean as much to me as they do. I would say that's a good thing. But you will always be different. I will always look at you differently because you are not Kaya or Cam. You're just you, and you are special to me. No other guy will change that. And this does not sound like a conversation I ever thought I'd be having with a _friend_." I laughed and Hayden smiled.

"Thanks." Hayden replied, "You're special to me too."

"I better be." I joked with a smile, "And as for the MIA parents...they're missing out. They'd be lucky to have you as part of their lives."

"Glad you think so, because they never will."

"You're a great guy Hayden, I'm glad you're a part of my life."

"And you're perfect, Melanie. Remember, that." Hayden smiled, offered me a hand to help me up and we returned to the living room.

"So, Hayden what do you think of my idea?" Kaya asked immediately after we returned.

"I think it's ridiculous." Cam replied.

"I wasn't asking you, Cam."

"Well, it is ridiculous."

"Are you calling _my _idea, ridiculous?"

"You bet I am."

"Can we leave the playful banter for later?" I exclaimed.

"Yes, so...Hayden, what do you think?" Kaya repeated her question.

"I figure it would have to be a big shot like him to be able to handle Melanie." Hayden joked.

"He's not a big shot. He is just 'Chosen.'" I corrected with a slight scowl.

"Don't tell me you believe all that rubbish in the papers about 'the Chosen one', and prophecies and such." Came replied.

"I believe that for a little boy to survive what he survived, it had to be destiny. It is fate. If it was coincidence he wouldn't be the only one." I explained, "A prophecy, like the one the papers are reporting, would explain everything. At least that's what I think."

"Possible." Hayden nodded.

"Probable." I corrected.

"Well, I've got to be going." Kaya replied, "I need to head home, demon child number one has a recital-thing."

"Your sister is not that bad." I said.

"That's because she _loves_ you and you don't live with her, or my parents. Honestly, sometimes I think I'm adopted..." Kaya rolled her eyes.

"Except for the family resemblance, of course." I smirked.

"Of course." Kaya nodded, "Come on Cam, let's go."

"Guess I'll get my passport ready, see you later Mel." Cam replied as he began to follow Kaya out.

"Passports? You guys...my parents would never...your parents would never...you guys really..." I stuttered.

"My parents could care less as long as I'm with you. You're the _good_ influence, remember?" Kaya said.

"And mine are just itching for me to study abroad." Cam added. "And technically that's what we'd be doing."

"And if we went, I figure you'd need at least a year to woo him, maybe less but most likely a year. So we'd just go to their school for sixth year." Kaya explained.

"But my parents..." I began.

"Will understand. At least your mom will. Plus they owe you after lying to you for so long. We could guilt them into letting you go. You would be expanding your horizons and furthering your educational range." Kaya finished.

"Yeah, they'd definitely buy that." I scoffed.

"Wouldn't kill you to try." Kaya replied.

"No it wouldn't." I agreed, "But they wouldn't let me go."

"They'd let _us_ go." Kaya corrected, "All of us."

"What about Hayden?" I asked, turning to him.

"What about me?" Hayden responded.

"Could you go, too?" I questioned.

"I don't know." Hayden answered, and looked to the floor. Either it was the truth, or he didn't want to go in the first place. I couldn't tell.

"If they said yes, you guys would be able to go for sure?" I replied.

"Yes." Kaya said and Cam nodded.

"Wish I could give you an answer." Hayden added.

"Okay, it's settled then. Talk to your parents. We really have to go now." Kaya responded.

I walked her and Cam to the door and waved as they left. I took a deep breath and turned. Hayden was standing, leaning against the doorway to the living room, and watching me.

"So, thinking about a little trip?" Hayden replied.

"Yeah. Thinking of being left behind?" I answered.

"My parents could care less, but I couldn't desert them." Hayden said, "I would never be able to get permission anyway."

"Why not? If they could care less, then why not? You would think they'd take anything they could to get rid of you." I exclaimed.

"Thanks a lot Melanie." Hayden snapped.

"I'm only going off what you just said about them!" I scowled, "What's your problem, anyway?"

"Just forget it!" Hayden exclaimed, throwing his hands up.

"No! No. No." I called, "Tell me."

"It's you and them. The three of you. I don't fit. You don't want me with you. You could go off with just them and it wouldn't make a difference if I wasn't there. That's what my problem is." Hayden explained loudly.

"It's not about me wanting you there, it's about me needing you there!" I corrected. "Can't you see that? Kaya and Cam are great. They're my best friends and I love them, but you keep me strong when they can't. You are everything they aren't and I need you there. I do. And I have a strong feeling you don't want to be there."

"Why wouldn't I want to be there for you?"

"Because you can't stand him already."

"Come on, Melanie. What kind of guy do you think I am?"

"I know what kind of guy you are."

"Of course you do, with my reputation and all. I just thought you knew me better than that."

"I do know you better than that. I just can't figure you out!"

"What's there to figure out?"

"Everything!" I exclaimed, exasperated. "One minute you're all sentimental, talking about needing me to be there for you. The next you're angry because I'm upset that you don't want to be there for me!"

"I never said I didn't want to..."

"Oh, you didn't? You might as well have." I scowled, "Look it's okay to be jealous."

"I'm not jealous."

"Don't lie to me Parker."

"I don't want to be them. I don't envy what they have with you. I just don't enjoy being the second string friend."

"What? You're not...You're definitely first string!" I exclaimed, "What made you think that?"

"It's not possible. Ten months ago we didn't even talk to each other."

"And ten months ago I had a fallout with the only person I had know as long as Kaya and Cam. A year ago, he was the only person I cared about _more_ than Kaya and Cam. He hurt me, and I'm over it now. A lot can happen in a short span of months. I know that better than anyone."

"Doesn't chance things."

"It doesn't?" I asked, "Kian went from one of the most important people in my life to a person I could do without seeing ever again in less than three months. Why couldn't you go from a person I didn't really know to my best friend in ten?"

"Because..."

"That's not an acceptable answer."

"Then what is?"

"'You're right, Mel. I'll try my best to find a way to be there for you.'"

"Is that really what you want?"

"Please, please, please! You cannot trap me for a year with Kaya and Cam, _alone_. They will drive me insane! You have to come!" I begged in a playful voice.

"I'm sorry, Melanie. I really am."

"What?"

"I just can't. I'm sorry." Hayden replied and then walked past me.

He was out the door before I could say another word. My mouth was hanging open and I quickly closed it. That had hurt, really bad. I shook my head. I would fix it. I would, but I had to handle my parents first.


	18. Mother May I & Shaking The Nerves

A/N: And I'm back to the present! Sort of. This chapter is going to be longer because it's basically two separate chapters put together. The first half is the last chapter of the flashback part and the second is the first chapter back into the present. They would have functioned alone but I decided it's already taken me this long to get to the actually story, why make you wait any longer? Oh, and the first part is in the end of June and the second is a week or two before the end of August (and there is some commentary spanning those two times) So...Here it is. Please read and review...especially the second (although only if you do the first!) –Mac

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry, but oh how I wish I did. I guess Melanie and her lot would have to do.

**Chapter Eighteen **

**Mother May I / Shaking The Nerves**

"Mom, can I talk to you?"

It was early, the morning after Kaya and I had spilled to Cam and Hayden. The morning after I had fought with Hayden and he had walked out. I figured I should get it over with as soon as possible. I was in the kitchen helping my mom make cookies the muggle way. She had always thought they tasted better that way. I could never tell the difference. She said it had something to do with the effort you put into it.

"Sure, honey."

"It's about, well, you-know-what."

"What about it?"

"I think I know who it is."

"Really? Who?" Her voice raised a notch in excitement.

"It was Kaya's idea..."

"And how off the wall is it?"

"Not incredibly."

"And you believe her?"

"I agree with her."

"Who is he?"

"You've heard of him." I thought I'd at least ease her into it.

"I have?"

"Yes definitely."

"Hmm, but I don't know him personally?"

"No,"

"So it's not your friend then?"

"No, it's not Hayden. Not that it matters. I don't think he's talking to me after last night."

"What, did you tell him last night?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, you'll work things out."

"I know. I'll make sure of it."

"So, about this guy."

"Well, considering he lives in a different country, we know a lot about him."

"Different country, Melanie!" My mom exclaimed, "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking, I need to find him and I don't care what it takes." I said forcefully but softly.

"Who?"

"Please, mom, you know who." I whispered, but pulled the folded cover of the magazine out of my pocket and showed it to her.

"Oh, God, Melanie..."

"I don't care, you know I don't."

"But..."

"Danger is an after thought to me."

"He's..."

"I know."

"And your father..."

"Knew _them_. I know."

"With what's going on there..."

"You know me better than that."

"Could you let me finish a sentence?" My mom sighed.

"I already know what you're going to say." I replied, "If Dad had never made it over here and you knew who he was and where to find him, would you have braved everything to get to him?"

"That isn't fair..."

"It isn't?"

"No, I've been with your father for years. You don't even know this boy yet. It's a completely different situation."

"I need to know. I need that more than anything right now. I don't care what I have to go through to get it I will do it. I have to know. I think you owe me than much."

"I don't owe you anything, Melanie."

"You owe me seven years. If I don't go now, who knows how long it will take. And how will you make up for those years too?"

"Melanie, you do not need..."

"I need to go. I absolutely have to know. I will drive me crazy, knowing but not _knowing_."

"You expect me to let you go that far alone?"

"No."

"I didn't think so."

"I expect you to let me got that far...with Kaya and Cam." I added. I left Hayden out of it for the mean time.

"A bunch of teenagers going thousands of miles alone, in another country, across an ocean for God's sake, you really think I'm going to allow that?"

"Yes."

"Just that simple?"

"Yes."

"And Kaya's parents?"

"Don't care. If she's with me, she'll be fine. They think I'm a good influence on her."

"A good influence? You?"

"Yeah, but then again her parents are kinda crazy. But they like me, and they think I'm good for Kaya so they'll let her go."

"Cam's parents?"

"Want him to study abroad, and a year there would 'further our educational range' and 'expand our horizons.' I think he's already go this passport in order. He'll be on a plane and there before I will."

"So they're all set and ready to go?"

"Waiting on your word."

"I can't believe this."

"Why not?"

"Because this is the last think I would ever let you do and it's the first think you ask of me."

"I need to do this, you have to let me."

"Who is going to look after you?"

"I'm got to go to school, a boarding school. I'll be under adult supervision twenty-four seven. More so than I am here. I'll be surrounding by hundreds of people day in and day out. You could think of it as a foreign exchange program. I'd be absolutely fine."

"Knowing you, that is practically impossible."

"Thanks, mom." I joked.

"You're a magnet for trouble."

"Hey, I am your daughter."

"No, no, no. You're your father's daughter."

"That is true. Spontaneity and recklessness..."

"A deadly combo." My mom finished with me. I chuckled along with her.

"I have to go. Can you understand that?"

"I understand how much you want to find him honey, but this is just too much."

"I don't think it is."

"I know you don't...but I can see it clearly. To allow a fifteen-year-old girl and two of her fifteen-year-old friends, to go across an ocean, into another country would be utter craziness. You know that, Melanie. And with all the bad things expected to happen there...it would be complete chaos. I would be crazy to send my daughter into that mess."

"Mom, please..." I was past asking, I was crossing over into begging territory.

"What are you going to do if I don't let you?"

"Not talk to you for another year and leave as soon as I'm of age, which is just under thirteen months from now." My tone was even and calm. I was dead serious and I could tell she knew that as well.

"What will you do if I let you go? How long will you stay? When would I see you again?"

"We would stay for at least the year. We'd probably come back to visit for the Holidays. I couldn't miss the annual Christmas bash, now could I?"

"I'm going to lose a year of you either way, aren't I?"

"Yeah, probably."

"Oh, Melanie..." My mom sighed.

Then with five little words, she changed my life forever...

"I'll talk to your father."

With my mother there was no 'talking' to my father, only 'telling'. They didn't discuss, my mom decides. My dad can't really fight her on anything, because she wouldn't budge either way. She stands her ground and pretty much tells him what we're going to do—especially when it's about Dani and me. Nothing against my father, but when it comes to my mom and his daughters he's a bit of a softy. And in this situation, I must say that puts me at an advantage. I was on my way.

* * *

That was almost two months ago. My dad reluctantly gave his approval and mad reservations for our private plane—that my parents use for business relations in our hotel chain that spans the country. Passports and tickets were arranged weeks and weeks in advance. The plans were set, and all we had to do was wait for the day.

I tried to get Hayden to talk to me, but for the first few weeks he avoided me. While I was the expert at avoiding people, Hayden was getting pretty good at it. Eventually, we fell back into normal patterns: the four of us hanging out, doing everything together. The only catch is we never mentioned the trip, not once. I think Hayden could sense when I was about to say something about it, because every time I opened my mouth to say something he would give me a look that made me close it again without a word. He wasn't going to go, and there was nothing I could do about it. Still I held out some hope. So when my dad asked how many tickets to set up I said four. Just in case.

Mid-July came quickly and my mom planned the biggest sixteenth birthday anyone I knew had ever been to before. I've said it before, she gets crazy with those kinds of things. It was an amazing night. My mom was even able to keep my Uncle Joey from charming anything or anybody. I felt very special. My many gifts were oriented around the trip. Gift cards for things I would need. Memory books and such things were a big majority of the presents. The next day I was shopping up a storm with Kaya, Cam and even Hayden tagged along. It was the only shopping trip when I came home with more bags than my trip with Kaya right after the prediction came out. Granted we did have four extra hands this time.

Time began to slow after my birthday, it just dragged on and on. It felt like it would be forever before the day came. We were packing for weeks it seems, deciding what to bring and what to leave. Then as if time had sped up, I woke up this morning of our departure and was surprised to find the day upon us. It was like having the wind knocked out of me. Here I was thinking the preparation time was taking far too long, and snap—out of the blue—I wasn't prepared. The day had come and I wasn't ready.

I was leaving. I was really leaving.

The classic long, tearful good bye was said at the front entrance to our hotel. It was crazy how many people from my family alone showed up. Then I caught sight of Kaya and Cam's families huddled in the corner, completely overwhelmed by the sheer size of mine. After a round of hugs and tears, we crowded into a cab and headed off to the airport. I wouldn't have been able to handle an hour of my mother's good bye tears or her waving from the gate as we boarded. And that's how I found myself here: standing in the entryway to the airport, disgruntled tourists and locals frustrated with the obstruction I presented, and my nerves slowly creeping over me.

I knew I would be nervous, but I never thought I would be nervous enough to have second thoughts. Second thoughts were never an issue for me before. Doubts and fears were never an issue for me before. But somehow they were all an issue today.

I wasn't sure how long I was standing there, silent and immobile, but it had to have been a long time because Kaya and Cam had began to whisper about what they should do about me. I was about to turn around and tell them I could hear them, when I heard it. I hadn't thought I would hear it in a long while.

"What's wrong with Mel?"

"Hayden." I whispered, and I turned quickly.

He was standing with Kaya and Cam not five feet away from me. There was a large trunk resting next to his feet and a big bag slung over his shoulder. He smiled at me as I turned and I realized he was out of breath.

"I thought I wasn't going to catch you." Hayden replied as he tried to catch his breath.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I was coming to see if you had room for one more on that plane of yours." Hayden answered, "I was hoping I could catch a ride, I have some business to handle and I think we're headed in the same direction."

"Hayden..." I began, but he interrupted me.

"Look, I finally realized I was being a selfish ass over this whole thing and I'm here to make it up to you. You were there when I needed you, so I figured I would repay the favor." Hayden said quickly. "I'm sorry for saying no, so quickly. Can you forgive me?"

"Of course I can." I nodded, "Thank God you came! I was thinking about turning back!"

"What would have the fearless Melanie Eldens thinking about turning back?" Hayden joked, with a playful smile gracing his lips.

"Absolutely nothing." I smiled back, "I just needed someone to help me shake the nerves."

"Glad to be of service." Hayden bowed dramatically and laughed.

As we began to head toward our gate, Kaya let out a sigh of relief and said, "Thank God, you came Hayden. I thought I was going to go crazy trying to handle Melanie all by myself."

"Funny, I was saying the same thing about you and Cam." I replied.

"We're not that bad." Kaya scowled slightly.

Hayden and I burst out laughing when she said that, but stopped quickly when we saw the serious look on her face.

"Oh, that wasn't a joke? It sure was funny." I smirked and Kaya's scowl deepened.

"Very funny. Just wait til you and this guy hook up. I'll find something, you just wait." Kaya threatened but smiled.

"Terrified." I replied then turned to Hayden, "So how'd the parents react?"

"They didn't." Hayden answered, then for clarification when he saw the confused looks on our faces, "Expect a Howler in a month when they realize I'm gone."

"Hayden, you didn't!" I exclaimed.

"I left a note." Hayden attempted to defend himself, "And I told my grandma, she's the one who got my passport."

"You just had to cause one last bought of trouble, before you made your exit, didn't you?" I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, I'm Hayden Parker. I have a reputation to uphold."

A/N: There! Pretty long right? Please review...it'll make me update faster (possibly)! –Mac


	19. A Plane Ride And A Hotel Room

A/N: They arrive in London in this chapter. The trio makes their first appearance towards the end of this chapter, but only slightly. This is probably just a filler chapter to get them to where they need to be. So hang with me here. I was thinking of doing some chapters in Harry's POV. But I wasn't sure. Let me know if I should try some Harry or just stick with Mel. (The first one would probably be chapter 21 so, give me some feedback, cause I won't update past 20 if you don't.) Please read and review. –Mac

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry.

**Chapter Nineteen **

**A Plane Ride and A Hotel Room**

It wasn't long before we boarded the plane and were on our way. It was spacious and comfortable, but then again it was just the four of us—beside the few people my parents had hired to work on the plane. We were in the air in no time, but we had a long trip ahead of us.

Kaya and Cam had been on the plane before. It was a trip to California to open a hotel in Los Angeles about five years back, and Kian had gone too. It was over summer and we sort of turned it into a vacation of sorts. Hayden, however, had stood awestruck when we first boarded. He just gaped, taking in his surroundings. Kaya softly chuckled as she walked past him, finding a seat quickly. Cam followed after her, seating himself in the seat next to hers. Finally, I gave him a pat on the shoulder as I passed and he came to his senses.

His only reply was, "Damn, I knew you had money, but I didn't know you had _money_."

I was sipping on a soda, completely relaxed, about an hour into our trip when Kaya and Cam decided it would be fun to get into a fight over peanuts. Silly, I know. Kaya insisted Cam had eaten the last peanut from the bag they were sharing, when she deserved it because he ate more than she did. Cam completely denied it, saying she had eaten it and was only looking for something to blame on him. They were going back and forth, voices angry and bitter. Hayden let out a frustrated groan and pulled a pair of headphones over his ears and turning up the volume. I scowled at him. Blocking them out wasn't going to stop them.

I pushed out of my seat and stalked toward them. I noticed something on the ground and leaned over to pick it up. I cleared my throat to gain their attention and when they turned I held up the peanut.

"Look familiar?" I questioned.

"I told you I didn't eat it!" Cam exclaimed.

"No, _I _told you _I _didn't eat it." Kaya corrected.

"Okay, stop now!" I replied, "I swear to God if you two are going to do this every five minutes, tell me now because if you are I am going to throw you off this plane right now!"

"Sorry, Mel." They said, lowering their heads.

"It's fine. But you guys can't have any more peanuts. I'm cutting you off." I shook my head, "Why can't you guys behave for, at the very least, an hour? You're like a bunch of two-year-olds. I don't feel like playing baby-sitter today. My nerves are already on edge as it is."

I popped back down into my seat and Hayden smirked at me before closing his eyes and leaning his head back. I lay back, closed my eyes and unwanted thoughts began to surface.

I wondered what my parents were doing, or Dani. I could figure my parents were at the hotel, working up a storm. Paper work and budgets were probably calling their names. Dani was either held up in her room with her friend Jen or was held up in Jen's room at Jen's house. I felt bad that I had left. It had only been a couple years since she had stopped hanging out with my friends and me. I missed her. I missed them.

And I had only been gone an hour.

I felt like I was willing the plane to go faster, to get there faster. Once I was there I would feel like I had accomplished something. Then I wouldn't feel so bad about leaving. At least I assumed I would. I had to think positively. Positive...Positive...

When I woke up from the sleep I had slipped into, we were an hour away. I had been asleep for a long time. Hayden was lightly dozing behind me. Kaya was flipping through a muggle teen magazine she bout at the airport gift store. Cam was beyond bored, I could tell by the way his eyes kept flicking to read over Kaya's shoulder. I yawned silently and stretched, trying to wake myself up completely. Hayden stirred beside me, and smiled when he saw me awake.

"You were out for a long time, Melanie." He replied, yawning directly in the middle.

"Yeah, we're pretty close now." I added, leaning back in my chair.

"Are you excited?" Hayden asked.

"I guess so, mostly just anxious...and nervous." I responded.

"Are you going to go crazy on us trying to reach this guy?"

"Nah, I'll meet him when I meet him. We'll be going to the same school, it shouldn't be too hard. Besides I don't 'go crazy', I become passionate."

"Which in normal terms would be considered going crazy."

"Sure." I replied, "My parents would say the same thing. They were crazy in their day—my dad especially—so they wouldn't hesitate to say that I was taking the same route."

"Crazy really does suit you."

"Stop joking around. If anyone on this plane is crazy, it's the dynamic duo over there."

"I would have to agree with you." Hayden nodded. "Why is Osman reading a girlie magazine?"

"Leave him alone. You're the one who pulled him away from the gift shop while we bought stuff. Maybe he could have got his own 'manly' magazine if you hadn't dragged him off."

"Well if you had let me buy a deck of cards we could have occupied everyone's attention." Hayden countered.

"We have more than enough things with us to occupy our attention!"

"Then explain to me why Osman is reading a girlie, teen magazine!" Hayden exclaimed.

"Why don't you ask him?"

"Hey Osman, why are you reading that..._that _magazine?" Hayden asked, calling across to them.

"Not reading, looking." Cam answered.

"Difference?" Hayden responded.

"Swim suit models." Cam replied.

"Hey Kaya, when you're done with that can you pass it over here?" Hayden asked.

"Sicko." I voiced and playfully hit him in the arm.

"Psycho." Hayden retorted.

"Weirdo." I shot.

"So I'm the weirdo, huh?"

"Most definitely." I nodded.

"And what about you? Jetting off to another country for a guy—who, as I am obliged to mention, was destined to meet you anyway. What does that make you?"

"A hopeless romantic." I replied, "Remember saying that?"

"Ah, the whole 'everyone has the potential to change' thing. Yeah, I remember." Hayden nodded.

We spent the rest of the flight, the four of us, talking and joking around. Our landing went smoothly and we were soon waiting patiently at baggage claim for our luggage. Kaya was humming softly to herself as we waited. That was the first sign of her growing antsy. The next would be her playing with her hair, and the last—before she began voicing her complaints—was her foot tapping uncontrollably. Luckily, the luggage arrived just as her hand began to reach for her hair.

We gathered up our bags and headed for the airport's exit. We emerged onto the street and took our first breaths of London air. I led our group around the corner and into the first deserted area I could find. I pulled out my wand and lit it. It illuminated our small group slightly in the darkness. I got a good look at the night sky before I stuck out my wand and gave a quick wave.

With a loud bang, a huge triple-decker, purple bus pulled up in front of us. Kaya, Cam and Hayden stared up at it for a moment before turning their surprised faces to me. I just shrugged it off.

"There's an advantage to having a father who used to live here." I replied, "Guys, welcome to the Knight bus!"

A young man had appeared in the entryway of the Knight bus. He began to give his speech about 'emergency transportation for the stranded witch or wizard' and whatnot. Finally, I just interrupted him.

"Hello, Stan...it is Stan, right?" I replied.

"Right." Stan nodded.

"We need to get to the Leaky Cauldron." I said.

"All right, get on, why don't 'ya." Stan responded, "An' I'll get those."

As the four of use stepped onto the bus, Stan began to struggle with all our trunks. After awhile, and a lot of huffing and puffing, all our trunks were on board. We paid and soon we were headed for the Leaky Cauldron.

My parents had considered having us stay at a muggle hotel, but quickly rethought that idea. My father had owled to arrange rooms at the Leaky Cauldron. It would be better he said, because there would be people of the magical sort around and it housed the entrance to Diagon Alley—which we would have to visit anyway. I had received a letter from Hogwarts just days after my mom had said yes—Kaya and Cam had received theirs as well. A supply list was attached and I had wanted to go and get them right away, but my mom convinced me to wait and shop during our week long stay, just above Diagon Alley. Thoughts of letters and list brought a question to mind. I turned to Hayden who was sitting on the next bed over.

"When did you get your letter?" I asked.

"You know, I was waiting for you to ask that." Hayden replied, sitting up straighter, "I got it the exact same day you, Kaya and Cam got yours."

"How is that possible?"

"Well, what I said and what I wanted were two completely different things. I never convinced myself that I didn't want to go, only you."

"Then why did you say no?"

"Because it was too hard to say yes."

"Oh." I made to say something else but never got the chance.

With a great lurch, the Knight bus came to a stop. I was almost thrown from the bed I was on but quickly caught hold of one of the poles and stayed on. Hayden toppled sideways off of his bed. I couldn't see Kaya or Cam from where I was, but with hearing the large thuds and a yelp of pain from Kaya I could imagine they had ended up on the floor as well. I stood and smoothed out my shirt, which had bunched up when I twisted around to grab on to something. Hayden dusted himself off and Kaya and Cam came into view as they pushed themselves up off the floor.

"Leaky Cauldron, London." Stan reported.

Sure enough, as I glanced out my window, there was a sign hanging from the building, which read Leaky Cauldron. Stan leant a hand in getting all our bags and such off the bus and then with another large bang the Knight bus disappeared down the road. Although it was late when we entered there were still some people milling around in the bar area. A couple of men were hunched over at the bar, mugs of some drink clenched in their fists. There was a small group of people, young, huddled around a table in the far corner, away from everyone else.

Our group made our way over to what looked to be a makeshift desk and were greeted by a man named Tom—the bar manager.

"You four must be the bunch from the States, right? I've got your keys right here." He replied, grabbed a couple of keys and began to lead us up a flight of stairs, "Come on, I'll show you."

Cam went first right behind Tom, and Hayden was right behind Cam. Kaya was just starting up the stairs. The sound of a woman's voice caught my attention and I hung back to see where it was coming from. I turned and caught sight of an older woman seemingly scolding the group in the corner.

"Ronald Weasley, you should be in bed at this hour. Fred, George let the children go to bed—" she said.

"Mum, we're not children."

"Of course you aren't Ron. Fred, George please!"

"Right, mum." Two voices sounded and two boys—identical—stood from the table.

"We're going." One said.

"Got a place above our shop now, you know." The other finished, before they wandered off.

"Okay, the lot of you to bed!" The woman exclaimed, making shooing gestured to the remaining people.

"Yes, mum." One said as he pushed away from the table, he looked much like the first two that left.

A girl about the same the same age as him followed after him, her hair was extremely curly, and said something about 'trying to tell them.' A girl with red hair to match the first three boys, appeared and only mumbled something in the direction of the woman who had to be her mother. The last person to emerge, just nodded to the woman and headed toward the stairs—which I was standing in front of—with the other three behind him. He raised his head and his eyes met mine for a moment. Green eyes. Green eyes and messy black hair that almost covered the somewhat faded mark on his forehead...

Kaya's voice broke me out of my thoughts. Her face peered around to look at me, from the stairs, "Something wrong, Mel?"

"No, nothing." I replied.

Kaya caught hold of the other side of my trunk and helped me lug it up the stairs and into our room down the hall. We settled it in front of one of the bed. A dull ache made itself known in my cheeks. I must have been smiling like a madman. Kaya was still looking at me with an odd look on her face with an odd look on her face. Something that was a mix of confusion and contemplation.

"Are you sure nothing is wrong?" She asked.

"Yes, I'm definitely sure. Everything is perfect. Just perfect." I responded, still smiling.

"Kay, Mel. You're starting to really freak me out."

"He's here, Kaya. He's here right now. In this building." I couldn't figure out why I was whispering, "I knew I had felt closer, like I was near but couldn't quite reach it yet. I didn't think I would be this close. But he's here."

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review. And tell me if I should do some Harry POV. Let me know (REVIEW!) –Mac


	20. Watching From A Distance

A/N: I'm going to probably update faster now that summer has started and I'm out of school. However, I am going out of town for the next week until after Father's day. Going to visit good old Dad. And my little sister too. Although he has a computer my sister is usually on it 24/7 and I will get no time to update. I might get one more chapter up before I leave, but there's only a slim chance. So, do I have the affirmative for the Harry POV? So far I've gotten positive feedback, so I think I will. Still you guys let me know. The trio makes a few more appearances in this chapter, but only slightly. You'll know why once you start reading. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed! Please continue to R&R! Thanks. –Mac

Disclaimer: Me no own Harry.

**Chapter Twenty **

**Watching From A Distance**

That night I could barely sleep at all. I think with all my nervous excitement I kept Kaya up as well. Either way, the two of us were up early and ready to go. I could tell by the look on Hayden's face when he opened his door—after Kaya and I nearly knocked it down with all our knocking—it was not the same for the boys. But since we had _unintentionally_ woke them up, they decided to get ready and join us for breakfast.

When we arrived downstairs, there were only two or three people scattered around, talking or eating. Tom was very receptive and served us a quick breakfast in no time. In the middle of eating, I looked up and noticed them. It was the three of them. The Golden Trio, they were sometimes called. Everyone knew he was rarely seen without the other two. Before long, they were seated at a table not far from ours and Tom served them soon after.

Kaya nudged me a bit, under the table where no one would see when I looked up she gestured with her head in _their_ direction. I shook my head. I wasn't going to go too fast. I needed to watch. I had to have a chance to observe him—them. She was nodding, raising her eyebrows at me in question. She didn't understand I scrunched up my face as she began gesturing differently silently. I had no idea what she was trying to say. Finally, she kicked me, hard, under the table and all but pointed in their obvious direction.

I suppressed the 'ow' that raised in my throat and said, probably too loudly, "Not now!"

Since it was a change from the silence coming from our table prior to it, it caught their attention and all three of them turned to look at our table. I quickly turned to stare at my plate until I felt their eyes leave us. Scowling, I glared at Kaya. She just shrugged.

"Just give it some time." I whispered.

"Why? He's right there!" Kaya said.

"And how do I break the ice? Ask him for an autograph?" I questioned.

"That's a good idea." Cam replied, with a shrug.

"No, it's not. I'd look like a silly little tourist in awe of him. I'd look like just another one of those people. I don't want that to be his first impression of me." I corrected, scowling again.

"Keep scowling. I bet that'll leave a good impression." Hayden joked and smirked.

"Thanks, Hayden. You're a big help." I replied.

"You're welcome, Melanie." Hayden responded, smiling wider.

"You know, you're the only person who call her 'Melanie' all the time." Kaya said.

"Yeah, and?" Hayden frowned.

"You never call her Mel. Why?" Kaya asked.

"I like to be different."

"I like that someone calls me, Melanie, all the time." I popped in. "It makes it less severe when my Mom uses my whole name—because it's not the only time I hear it."

"There." Hayden replied, "I do it, because she likes it."

"There could have been a very disgusting double meaning to that if I didn't know better." Kaya responded, mock gagging.

"Come on, let's go. We've got shopping to do. We need a lot of things." I suggested.

"Are stores even open at this time in the morning?" Cam asked, obviously still tired.

"We've been down here for nearly two hours, it's almost noon." I answered, "I'm pretty sure shops are open."

"It's been that long?" Cam replied.

"Well we woke you up at eight, but the two of you took two hours to get ready." Kaya responded.

"That's because Osman here fell asleep hunched over the sink with his toothbrush in his mouth." Hayden accused and laughed.

"Well, you fell asleep leaning over into your trunk, trying to find clothes!" Cam shot back.

"I swear the two of you are worst than girls when it comes to getting ready." I shook my head.

Not long after, we emerged into Diagon Alley and our real day began. Kaya had insisted on getting our books first. Why? I could not tell you. Heaviest thing we could get, and we had to get it first. I didn't understand. While a man that worked there, at Flourish and Botts that is, helped gather up our lists of books, I browsed through a shelf of books on Quidditch. I found one that caught my eye and bought it with the rest of my supplies. As we were leaving, _they_ came in. I caught his eye for just a moment before following after Kaya.

As we continued on with our shopping, we seemed to be just a couple steps ahead of him and his friends. We were always leaving just as they were arriving.

Finally, we had checked off all the required supplies on our list and were ready to head in. No such luck. Kaya was fawning over a kitten in the window of what seemed to be a magical equivalent of a muggle pet store. You don't see those very often in the states. Of course, you've got your standard apothecary and magical bookstores carefully hidden from the muggle eye, but not many magical creature stores. It's really hard to get a permit for any when you live so intertwined with muggles. Of course anyone could have a cat, an owl or a toad, muggles don't notice those, but some of the other things they sold in this store would draw some pretty big attention from the non-magical folk. The last thing they would need was one of those to get loose onto muggle streets. Can you say massive panic, anyone?

"Isn't he adorable?" Kaya cooed, staring through the window so closely, I was amazed she wasn't pressed up against it yet.

"Yeah, he's cute. Can we go?" I replied.

"He looks like a furball that bigger one coughed up." Hayden said, his nose scrunched up as he looked at the kitten.

"Oh, he does not." Kaya frowned.

"He does, too." Hayden corrected.

"Kaya, will you just buy him already, so we can go." Cam groaned.

"Do you think I should?" Kaya asked.

"Yes!" We all exclaimed, exasperated.

"If you're going to make me go in there, we are going to the Quidditch place afterward." Hayden replied as we began to file in.

"Fine," I said, "Maybe I can find some new gloves."

"What happened to your old ones?" Kaya asked.

"I let Dani borrow them a while back when she accidentally blew hers into a million pieces practicing a spell. One little mispronunciation and some faulty aim...BANG! No more Quidditch gloves." I explained, "Then she never gave them back."

"That's Dani for you." Kaya smiled knowingly and nodded.

A short time later, we were on our way to the Quidditch shop, Kaya weighed down with another bag and a kitten curled up in a basket like thing. As we approached the Quidditch shop, I could see brooms and robes displayed in the windows. I had just got a new broom—top of the line—for my birthday. Hayden had the same broom as me, but had gotten his earlier in the year—I had absolutely drooled over it. The first thing I saw when I walked in was him, and his guy friend with the red hair. The girl was nowhere in sight, but there wasn't any doubt that it was because she wasn't interested in the sport in the slightest.

I tried to ignore the urge to go up to him. That feeling of being close just kept getting stronger every time I saw him. It was like my head was telling me, 'What's taking you so long, I know he's there...He's right there!' I fought to ignore it. We shopped quickly, quietly and I tried my best to not look in their direction. I let out a sigh of relief when they left.

We paid for our things and headed out, not long after that. On our way out, Hayden caught sight of a shop, which looked brand new. It was just bustling with people. When I read the name of the shop, I could tell why Hayden was using all his strength to drag me into it.

"Come on, Melanie. It's a joke shop." Hayden replied, "You know you want to."

"Fine," I relented, "But after this, we're done."

Once we were inside, Hayden began to pull things off the shelves, handing some to me and holding some himself. Our arms were practically full when the twins I saw the night before came up to us. Kaya and Cam came to a stop behind us, looking bored.

"Are you lot going to Hogwarts?" One of them asked.

"Yes." I smirked, "Just transferred from the States."

"Ah, Fred and George Weasley." The second one said, "I'm Fred, he's George."

"Melanie Eldens." I reciprocated, "That's Hayden Parker, and the two behind us are Kaya Lawrence and Cam Osman."

"Stocking up?" George said.

"Hell yes." Hayden answered, "You've got some quality products here."

"We're sort of obligated to tell you that all of our products have been officially banned from Hogwarts." Fred said.

"That won't stop me, how 'bout you Melanie?" Hayden responded.

"Nah, never stopped me before. Rules are meant to be broken." I nodded.

"Good." George smiled, "We've got something you'll get some use out of."

"What is it?" Hayden asked as he followed the twins.

"Well, it's still a prototype, but we've been looking for someone to test it. We'd give it to our brother to use it on the first years, but that would be too obvious..." I listened to them explain it to Hayden until they were out of earshot.

Then I turned to Kaya and Cam. Kaya glanced at me expectantly. A sort of are-we-done-yet stare. I just shook my head and smiled. Then I noticed them as I looked past Kaya's shoulder. They were in the back corner of the shop. He was following his friends around the shop. The redhead was pulling things off the shelf, gathering up a nice little collection for himself. I could hear the girl scolding him, but all I could catch was 'bad influence', 'First years' and 'prefect.' When the redhead finally said something I could hear it loud and clear.

"I have to support my brothers, so just shove off, 'Mione."

"Don't call me that!" She yelled before storming out.

Kaya rolled her eyes, "She's a bit touch, that one."

"She looked really upset." I said, shaking my head at Kaya.

"Well, I would call that melodramatic." Kaya replied.

"Not if she's really hurting, that would be called a good day." I corrected.

"Hmm, what could have happened?" Kaya asked.

"How should I know?" I responded.

"Well you're the all insightful one." Kaya said simply.

"I don't know everything." I replied.

"Your O.W.Ls scores would say differently." Cam put in.

"I know!" Kaya exclaimed, "Freaking 'O's on everything!"

"Not everything!" I replied.

"Oh sorry, you did get that 'E' on your potions O.W.L." Kaya conceded, while rolling her eyes.

"And that wasn't my fault, either." I frowned, "That man hated me."

"Or maybe it was the fact that you let the cheering potion brew a smidgen too long, causing the entire judging-panel-board-thing to be thrown into fits of vomiting." Kaya said.

"Well, it still worked. They were awful cheerful once the nausea passed." I defended myself with a scowl.

"Hence the 'E', instead of a 'D' or a 'T.'" Kaya replied.

"Guess so." I said.

"Hey guys, ready to go?" Hayden asked as he once again joined us.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Here give me all that, I already paid for it." Hayden said pulling all the products out of my arms and placing them into the bags he had been carrying. He already had all his stuff packaged up.

"You're crazy, you know that?" I replied as he pulled the last item out of my hands and stuffed it into a bag.

"Why would you say that?" Hayden smirked.

"What are you going to do with all that stuff?" I asked.

"The real question is, what are _we_ going to do with it." Hayden corrected.

"Well?" I prodded.

"We're going to keep the Hogwarts students on their feet." Hayden replied.

"You just want to establish your reputation there, don't you?" I scowled.

"What guy in his right mind would want to give up 'Hottie-bad-boy' status for 'new-kid' rights?" Hayden questioned.

"'Hottie-bad-boy?'" Kaya raised her eyebrows.

"Yes." Hayden nodded and promptly turned and headed toward the door.

We followed him out into the crowds of Diagon Alley. We headed back into the Leaky Cauldron and into our rooms. I piled all my bags onto a spare chair and Kaya stuffed hers under her bed. She let her new kitten out to stretch its legs, while we freshened up.

"So, have you thought of a name for him?" I asked as I pulled some fresh clothes out of my trunk.

"Oh, I don't know. I think he looks like a Louis." Kaya replied.

"More like Furball." I laughed.

"Nuh uh!" Kaya scowled.

"Yes, he does. The Great Amazing Furball!" I exclaimed, "Now there's a name for you."

"The Great Amazing Furball?" Kaya said, "How about Gaff for short?"

"That's cure, Gaff-y. Here Gaff-y!" I smiled.

"Okay I like it." Kaya nodded.

"Gaff it is then." I agreed.

We ate a quick dinner and eventually found ourselves just hanging out in the boys' room. Gaff was resting gently in Kaya's lap. Hayden was sitting propped up against the headboard of his bed. I was lying on my stomach across the foot of Hayden's bed. Kaya sat cross-legged at the foot of Cam's bed and Cam sat the same way at the head of his bed. We had talked about lots of things: all the things we did in the past year, our lovely day of shopping, and our extra, special purchases. Then the conversation turned to _him_.

I knew it would happen eventually. I would have to talk to them about it sooner or later. So, the only resistance I gave when they brought it up was a deep sigh.

"So, what are you going to do about him?" Kaya asked, absentmindedly stroking Gaff.

"Nothing, yet." I answered, "I just want to let everything settle first."

"How long will that take?" Hayden questioned.

"I don't know." I replied.

"How could you _not_ know?" Kaya said.

"Maybe I want him to make the first move, ever think of that?" I responded.

"Well, are you?" Kaya asked.

"No," I shook my head.

"And that's why we never thought that." Kaya said.

"Any idea of how you're going to handle the first encounter?" Cam inquired.

"I guess I'll just have to make it go as smoothly as possible." I answered, "There's really not much I can do."

"Uh, there's a lot you can do. You can talk to him. You can bump into him. You can smile and flirt and bat your eyes. You can go out and get your man!" Kaya exclaimed.

"I want to do it on my own terms, which means no accidental running into, no striking up a conversation on the basis of everyone knowing who he is, and absolutely no flirting until necessary. I will figure this out. I will handle it, but it will be on my time and my terms." I explained.

"Okay, Mel." Kaya nodded.

"Good." I replied.

"So, what do you think of him?" Kaya asked, trying to hide a smirk.

"Now there's a conversation, I wouldn't mind having." I smiled.

"No, that's a conversation you enjoy in the privacy of your own room." Hayden shook his head, "I am so hot into girl stuff right now."

"Are you ever?" Cam asked.

"Now that I think about it, no." Hayden responded.

"Fine." I replied, "We're going."

"See you tomorrow, boys." Kaya said.

Soon enough, we were closed in our own room. We talked about the long day we had, him of course, and I tuned Kaya out as she began to mastermind a plan to bring us together faster.

A/N: Thanks for reading. I'll try for another chapter before tomorrow night, but I can't be sure. So...anyway. Read and Review (let me know about the whole Harry POV thing...I want a couple more 'yes' votes from you guys before I do) and if I don't get that feedback there definitely be no Ch.21 in the next day. (The next chapter would be Harry's POV is I do it) R&R. –Mac


	21. Curiosity Not Satisfied

A/N: Okay, so maybe I lied about not updating. My sister is sort of bored of me and it's only the first day. We walked like a mile to get lunch at Arby's and an ice cream at 7-eleven and then back again. She's playing tennis in the garage so I get a chance to update. Here's chapter 21, and it's in Harry's POV. Please let me know what you think! R&R –Mac

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry, but do you think if I asked JKR for the copyrights she'd give them to me? No? I didn't think so either.

**Chapter Twenty-One**

**Curiosity Not Satisfied **

**Harry's POV**

I had seen them in the Leaky Cauldron, looking like they had just arrived. I had seen them the next morning eating breakfast. I had seen them leaving Flourish and Botts just as Hermione was dragging Ron and me in. I had seen them leaving every store just as we were going in. I had seen them I had seen them browsing in the Quidditch store, when Ron and I were looking around while Hermione waited outside. I had seen them in the twins' joke shop talking to Fred and George, and buying more products than they could carry. I was looking at them right now, as they ate breakfast. I had seen them, many times, but I still had no idea who they were.

"Who could they be?" I asked suddenly. Ron, who was sitting beside me, shrugged and turned back to his breakfast.

It was the morning after we had bought all our supplies. It had taken hours for me to get Ron and Hermione to patch things up after she stormed out yesterday. They were being civil to each other for the moment. Hermione had been away from the table when I voiced my question.

She surprised me by answering the question as she slid back into her chair, "They are Melanie Eldens, Kaya Lawrence, Hayden Parker, and Cam Osman."

"How did you know that?" Ron questioned with his mouth full.

"Ron, manners." Hermione scowled, "I asked Tom. They just got in from the States."

"What do you think they're here for?" I questioned.

"Maybe they're on holiday." Ron replied.

"A week before start of term?' I said, "Unlikely."

"They're not on holiday." Hermione shook her head.

"How would you know?" Ron asked.

"Think of who you're talking to, it's Hermione." I replied, "How would she not know?"

"Right." Ron nodded.

"Please, it's common sense. They brought way too much luggage for only a week say, and they were at every store we went to yesterday. They picked up every item on the Hogwarts supply list for sixth years. They're going to Hogwarts." Hermione explained.

"Why would they do that?" Ron inquired, his nose scrunched up like he was disgusted by the very idea of it.

"Only they know that." Hermione answered.

"Which one is which?" I asked, turning to Hermione, after a moment of staring at _their_ table.

"The brunette is Melanie, I believe. So that would make the blonde Kaya. I'm not sure about the boys yet." Hermione pointed out.

Their very presence awoke a curiosity I didn't know I had. I had a hundred questions about them, for them, because of them swirling around in my head. I wanted to know about them: who they were, where they were from, anything. And I couldn't explain why. It was the brunette, Melanie, that caught my eye. She was the first one I had noticed. There is just something about her that intrigues me, but if I was asked I would be able to say what it is.

She is beautiful by any standard. I admit that. Even Ron has said Lavender and Parvati couldn't compare to her. But it isn't about her looks. There is just something about her that makes me want to know more. I don't know what it is. She's just different than anyone I know. And I've never even met her. I can already tell. There's something about the way she looks at me directly in the eye. Not at my forehead. Not at a spot on the wall behind my head. Not at the floor. She didn't look away. She looked me straight in the eye. Nobody does that. Half the time Ron and Hermione avoid making direct eye contact. But she did. She surprised me on that. I don't even know her and she's surprising me at every corner.

Another thing is that she must know who I am and she hasn't spoken to me once. I know she's seen me. I don't intend to sound conceited or egotistical, because I am definitely not either thing. If anything, I'm enjoying the non-attention. Most people come up to me the second they spot me. 'Holy Cow, it's the Boy-Who-Lived! Let me shake your hand, I'm Mr. so and so or I'm Mrs. what's her name.' I'm a living, breathing, walking, talking photo op. I've gotten more 'I knew your parents, tragic it really is, their passing. You must miss them, you poor boy' than I can count. Of course I miss them, but some _other_ things are weighing heavier on my conscience at the moment, like the death of my godfather and the return of Voldemort. But yes, I do miss my parents, and I have time to sit here for an hour listening to you, a stranger, ramble on about some brief, miniscule run in with my mum or dad. Because I definitely have my priorities in order, that way. The very fact she hasn't come up to me tells me she's different. Surprising and different.

I could grow to like different.

"What could they possibly be doing by going to Hogwarts, now of all times?" I questioned, "Don't they know what's going on over here?"

"Why are you asking so many questions about them, mate?" Ron asked in response, "It's just a girl, granted a drop dead gorgeous girl, but still just a girl."

"Just curious is all." I replied, telling myself mentally to keep all thoughts and questions to myself from now on.

"Leave him alone, Ron." Hermione chided him, "At least he's talking again."

"Right." Ron nodded, shooting a nervous glance in my direction then turning back to his empty plate.

They had been doing this all summer. Ever since I had returned to Grimmauld Place after two weeks of hell with the Dursleys, they had been acting like this. Avoiding eye contact, shooting me nervous looks, just avoiding me in general. I'm pretty sure it was all Hermione's doing. Something about letting me grieve for Sirius on my own, without them pestering me about sharing my feelings. At first I was kind of hurt by it, I didn't want my best friends treating me the same way everyone else was. Like I would explode if I felt pressured in anyway. I didn't like the feeling of knowing that my best friends were distancing themselves from me. Now, though, I've kind of accepted their nervousness and anxiety around me.

I had been very quiet the last couple months. At first it was because I had no one to talk to. Then it was because I had no one to talk to. Then it was because I didn't have much to talk about. Being back at Grimmauld Place, Sirius' home, was hard on me, even if he did pass it on to me. It was tough spending all that time there. It felt like something was missing. Sirius was missing. I didn't want to talk about what it was like to not have him there. I didn't want to think of him not being there. It was bad enough that every inch of the place reminded me that he was gone; I didn't need everyone else bringing him up as well. I was glad to get out of there and come here to the Leaky Cauldron. Fewer memories. I was even talking again, just not about him.

"Will you please stop doing that?" I snapped.

"Stop doing what, mate?" Ron asked, looking at me with a confused expression.

"Acting like I'm going to snap at any second. Acting all nervous and anxious around me. Not looking me in the eye when you talk to me." I exclaimed, "Why can't we just get back to normal? Treat me like you used to."

"I didn't realize we were treating you any differently." Hermione said.

"No?" I replied, "Ever since Sirius died, you've treated me differently. And I understand that you wanted to give me my space, but I think the lot of you took it a bit far."

"You didn't want to talk about him." Hermione said gently.

"No I didn't want to talk about him. I didn't want to think about him. I didn't want to miss him as much as I did. And I especially didn't want to feel like my friends were pulling away from me. So, please just stop." I responded, "Now can we talk about something else."

"The blonde has been staring at us for the last ten minutes." Ron smirked, rocking back in his chair.

"Don't get any ideas." Hermione replied, not looking at Ron when she said it.

"Why not? She's almost as pretty as the other one." Ron said, shrugging.

"Well, if she's almost as pretty, go ahead." Hermione snapped, "What I was trying to say, was I'm pretty confident in the fact that the blonde boy is her boyfriend, seeing as I've caught them kissing at least four times. But, you go ahead, Ron, if she's almost as pretty."

"I didn't mean anything by it, 'Mione—" Ron started but instantly snapped his mouth shut when Hermione sent him her best death glare.

"I told you not to call me that!" Hermione nearly screamed and stormed off, similarly to yesterday when he called her that.

Great, now they were at each other's throats again. Their fighting had increased incredibly over the summer. It was the only thing I hated more than having to stay at Grimmauld Place. Listening to them fight for nearly two months was really getting to me. The fact that I was the one playing mediator all the time only made it worse. I hated being in the middle of their arguments.

"That's great Ron." I shook my head, "You should have listened to her when she asked you not to call her that."

"I did listen." Ron replied simply.

"Then why do you keep calling her that?' I questioned.

"It was never a problem before, I don't see why it is now." Ron answered.

"It's a problem now, because she asked you not to and you are blatantly ignoring her request." I responded.

"I don't understand what the big deal is." Ron said scowling.

"She's your friend. When she asks you to do something you should do it." I replied, "It's almost like you're trying to hurt her."

"It's just a name!" Ron snapped.

"It's more than that and you know it!" I exclaimed, it was definitely more than that, and Ron knew the whole story.

"I know that you've been only siding with her for months, that's what I know." Ron yelled and then walked away without another word.

I let out a frustrated sigh. He was right, I had been siding with Hermione a lot lately. It was well justified most of the time. Ron treated her badly most of the time and when he upset her I would defend her. The events of last June and the precautions taken over the summer because of them had hit Hermione hard. She had shared what had happened with us and made one request of us, to stop calling her 'Mione. Before she asked us that though, we didn't quite understand why she burst into tears when Ron called her it much like he normally did. Then she explained it to us and asked us — mainly Ron—to stop. For some reason, Ron hasn't stopped and Hermione has run off too many times to count because of it. So, yes I had been siding with her, she was right.

It was originally been planned that I would spend a while at the Dursleys' and then go to the Burrow with the Weasleys. Hermione's parents had a big trip planned for practically the whole summer. Then June came and everything changed. Instead of the Burrow, it was Grimmauld Place, because for protection the entire Weasley clan was staying there. The Order was afraid that Voldemort would try and use my attachment to them against me; similar to how he had used Sirius. I had thought Hermione had gone forward with her previous plan, but then I got to Grimmauld Place and was surprised to find out she had been there since the beginning of summer. She had one day with her parents and then she went there. The Order had decided her parents were now targets, as was she, and hid them away somewhere under magical protection. They wouldn't even disclose their location to Hermione. She was more upset than I had ever seen her.

It was from this that the whole 'Mione thing arose. The thing was that her parents had always called her that. The very sound of it only reminded her she hadn't seen her parents in two months and that she had no idea where they were. That was why she had asked us to not call her it. Ron just wouldn't listen. The stubborn prat.

I looked up to see Hermione sliding in to a seat across from me. Her eyes were a little red and puffy. Ron had made her cry, _again. _She wiped a stray tear away before she spoke.

"I heard Ron stomp into his room and slam the door. I didn't want you to be sitting down here all by yourself." Hermione replied, with a weak smile, "You shouldn't be alone."

"Ron is a mindless git. I could bloody strangle him right now." I muttered, "I'm really sorry Hermione, he won't listen to me either."

"It's alright Harry. It's not your fault. He's just being his usual stubborn self."

"But I feel bad."

"You shouldn't."

"I don't understand him, Hermione, I really don't."

"I don't really understand him, either Harry." Hermione murmured, "I just didn't want you to be alone."

"I'm fine, Hermione. I really am."

"Oh, I know. I didn't want to be alone right now either. So, here I am."

"Ron is angry with me."

"I sort of figured that."

"He says I've been siding with you."

"Lately, you have been."

"Well, you're usually the one that's right. It's only logical that I would side with you."

"But Ron doesn't see it that way."

"Of course he doesn't. Ron isn't equipped with the ability to interpret people's actions. He assumes the worst. And he treats us the way he _thinks_ we're treating him. I'm so sorry he's treating you so badly, Hermione."

"Don't be, Harry." Hermione shook her head, "Now let's talk about something else."

"Like what?"

"Like the curiosity this new girl has brought out of you. You think she's pretty, don't you? Or as Ron put it 'drop dead gorgeous'?"

"Well, yeah…sure…she's…yes." I sputtered, surprised by her bringing it up.

"Blush much?" Hermione joked, smirking and laughing, as I felt my face go hot.

"Shut up, Hermione." I scowled slightly, "It's not funny."

"You're a bumbling mess!" Hermione laughed.

"I am not." I stated.

"It's just a girl, Harry." Hermione replied.

"I was just curious, is all." I said.

"That curiosity of yours still isn't satisfied?" Hermione asked, reaching over to pat me on my forearm.

"I don't really know anything about them, how could my curiosity be satisfied? Not many of my questions have been answered. So, yes I'm still curious." I explained.

"So, let's go find out what you want to know…" Hermione said, standing and heading toward their table.

"Hermione…wait…no!" I exclaimed. Here we go…I did the only thing I could do, I followed.


	22. Not Exactly On My Own Terms

A/N: Oh my God! I updated DWD! It's been I don't know how long, like almost four months or something. This isn't my best chapter ever, but I had to get something out. It doesn't help that this was like re-written like a gazillion times before I posted it. Anyway, I had to get something out for this story so I could get back on track to possibly finish it in the next decade. But whatever...R&R! Thanks a bunch! -Mac

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**Not _Exactly_ On My Own Terms**

It was only our second morning there and I was already contemplating sending Kaya back. I had spent half the night listening to Kaya's scheming. It was really beginning to get annoying--as it dragged on into the morning. No matter what I did, I could not get her to stop staring at them. I could almost see the gears turning in her head as she watched them. I finally had to resort to kicking her under the table to get her to stop. She just wouldn't accept that I wanted to wait things out. I just didn't want to rush things and the only thing she was doing was making me feel rushed. It was dreadfully annoying.

I had been attempting to not focus all my attention on them as _intensely_ as Kaya had. Instead I was concentrating on my breakfast and finding a way to prevent Kaya from acting on whatever plans she had created in her twisted mind of hers. I was getting no help from Hayden or Cam. No help at all. The only responses I had gotten from them were light chuckles after I commented on how crazy she was driving me. They laughed in my face and turned back to their breakfasts. Kaya shrugged and returned to staring at them from across the room. I wouldn't have minded as much if she would have dialed it down just a bit. I expected this kind of thing from Kaya. It was just the kind of thing she does, on a normal basis. But this was a little bit too much.

I was all up for working this thing out, meeting him and everything, but it wasn't going to happen in a day. I knew that. I don't know what Kaya didn't understand about 'on my own terms.' It wasn't the hardest idea to grasp. It's a delicate situation and I want to handle it to the best of my ability. But rushing in head first with nothing to hold me up--as Kaya thought I should--is not the best idea. I don't want him to think I know something he doesn't--even though I do--because he would be too suspicious. I'm doing my best not to raise such suspicion. And Kaya is not helping.

Then to both of our surprises, someone else comes in and does the hard part for me.

"Excuse me." A voice filled my ears. It was close enough for me to assume it was directed toward me.

I looked up from a bite of eggs I was about to take and nearly jumped from the shock. There in front of me was his friend, the girl, and him standing a couple of feet behind her. Completely shocked, I dropped my fork and the clatter it made as it hit my plate roused me back to reality.

"Hello." I responded.

She smiled, "Hello, my name is Hermione Granger, and this is my friend Harry Potter. I'm a prefect at Hogwarts and I couldn't help but notice that the four of you had picked up the necessary supplies for a Hogwarts sixth year. I thought I should introduce myself."

"That's amazingly observant of you. Yes. Now I do remember seeing you yesterday." I smiled politely, "I'm Melanie Eldens, and these are my friends Kaya Lawrence, Cam Osman and Hayden Parker. We were picking up supplies for Hogwarts yesterday. We just transferred."

"We're from New York." Kaya added, "We just got here a couple of days ago."

"That's right, I think we saw you come in late a couple nights ago." Hermione nodded, "Anyways, I thought since you're all alone, that it would be nice for you to meet someone who's familiar with where you're going."

"So is Harry a prefect too?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

"No, but my other friend, Ron Weasley, is." Hermione answered. "But he's in his room right now."

"Would you like to sit with us?" I offered. Our conversation hadn't really gotten very far and I was still surprised that she was even there right now.

"That would be lovely." Hermione said and pulled a chair over to join our table.

Harry remained standing even after Hermione had sat down. He had been silent for the entirety of my brief exchange with Hermione. Not a word has passed his lips. If I wasn't mistaken he looked uncomfortable just being here. I was inclined to re-extend the invitation to him personally.

"Harry, how about you?"

"Sure." Harry answered simply. He grabbed a chair and sat down stiffly next to Hermione. He looked _really _uncomfortable. This wasn't awkward at all. Note the implied sarcasm there.

"So...acting on you purpose for coming over, what is Hogwarts like?" I asked. I wasn't quite convinced that she had introduced herself, and Harry, because she thought it was her duty as a prefect. But...I couldn't fathom another reason for why she would do such a thing. So I played along.

"It's absolutely amazing. Especially the first time you see it...It's magnificent. The courses are both interesting and educationally intriguing. Most of the professors are wonderful, although some have their downsides."

"Most teachers do." I agreed with a smile.

"Overall, Hogwarts is a great place. There's just this feeling of..." She paused, thinking. "I don't know how to explain it."

"It's like home." Harry replied, then faltered probably realizing he had spoken out loud.

"Do _you_ like it there?" I asked him.

"Yes." And again he was reduced to a one word answer.

"Well, Hermione, you sound like you love it there." Kaya said.

"Oh I do. I spend most of my time in the library, which is enormous, but that's just me. The dormitories are comfortable and the common room--at least ours, I'm talking about--is homey. I enjoy my time there." Hermione explained.

"What about Quidditch?" Hayden asked, speaking up for the first time. I noticed Harry's head pick up at the final word.

"Each house has their own team. They play for the Quidditch cup. Gryffindor has dominated since I started at Hogwarts. Oh, Harry just got named captain for Gryffindor this year." Hermione added the last remark as she looked toward Harry.

"Do you play?" Harry asked once Hermione stopped talking.

"We all do." Kaya answered. "Though Cam is a bit rusty. He didn't play much last year."

"It's not my fault the woman put me on reserve." Cam exclaimed, and Kaya soothed him by patting him on the back.

"Kaya and I are chasers. Hayden is a beater, and Cam has played keeper and beater." I explained, "We're pretty good."

"Yes, _we're_ pretty good." Kaya repeated, "But Mel's amazing. She's a natural talent. It's a family thing."

"It is for me too." Harry replied.

"My father's side." I said, "Every single one of them plays to some degree. They have their thing. My mom's side has their thing."

"So what's you mother's side's thing?" Hermione asked, seeming interested.

"We're, uh, seers." I admitted. It wasn't a big secret...The prediction was, not this.

"'We're' as in you too?" Hermione responded.

"Yeah. Hard to believe?" I replied.

"Yes, actually. It just seems like a load of rubbish to me." Hermione said truthfully.

"You didn't have a good teacher then." I commented, "I bet whoever it was made it seem like a load of crock, making fancy predictions, accusing people of not having the 'eye'."

"Exactly. That's Trelawney!" Hermione agreed, laughing at the dramatic voice I had put on to say the last part.

"The truth is, that Divination as a study isn't always based on you having the 'eye'. Some of the stuff can be faked to a certain degree so that it looks real. For instance tea leaves and the crystal ball. Tea leaves are tea leaves for god's sake, who's to say you can see anything other than a glob of slop. And the crystal ball...you can't prove you're seeing anything anyway, so it's easy to make something up." I explained and Hermione nodded along, agreeing with me.

"That's what I said!" Hermione shook her head, "People said it was just because I wasn't doing well that I said it."

"One question." Cam piped up, "How many people has she predicted a gruesome death for?"

"Um, just one." Hermione answered, nervously glancing toward Harry, "But she's said it enough times for it to sound like a load of crock."

"He asks that because he's heard the horror stories. When we were younger and my older cousins were in school, there was a different teacher than we have now. Apparently, she was just a little kooky." I explained.

"It was said that practically every other day, someone different was announced to be dying--or near death's door." Kaya added. "Kids were terrified of her."

"Of course not one of her predictions came true." I laughed. "Though she had enough people afraid they were randomly going to drop dead to fill a football stadium."

"The teacher we got, however, was a lot better." Kaya replied.

"They finally let the other one go when she went berserk and swore that everyone in the school was going to die in four days." Cam said, dramatically, rolling his eyes and waving his fingers. "They had to have her dragged from the building--kicking and screaming."

"That's a rumor." I corrected.

"Yeah." Hayden agreed, "The truth was, she said she saw her own death--something about being crushed by a falling anvil or piano or something. So she quit and hid herself away where no falling anything can get to her. I think she was just watching too many muggle cartoons at the time. I hear she's still alive and kicking--living off conjured food and water."

I shook my head, "Well, whatever the reason. She was replaced and her replacement was good."

"No predictions of unexplainable, unavoidable death." Cam added.

"Right." Hayden agreed. "I like her and Melanie likes her. These two could care less...unless of course she started to predict when or where they're going to kill over."

"Then we'd care." Cam nodded in agreement.

"Did you like your old school?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah. It was great." I responded.

"Then--if you don't mind my asking--why did you come here?" Hermione questioned.

"I have a lot of reasons." I replied, "They just followed me here."

"We have our reasons too." Kaya rolled her eyes. "This wasn't a spur of the moment thing. I came, so Cam had to come--he just couldn't spend a whole year without his girlfriend. Then Hayden shows up five minutes before we're supposed to get on the plane..."

"It was more than five minutes before...I know because I had to patch up all the bad feelings, between me and Melanie--after the fight like thing we had." Hayden corrected.

"So are you two...dating?" Hermione asked, looking back in forth between Hayden and me.

I had chosen that exact moment to take a sip from my glass of water. It took all I had not to spit it back out all over the table. Instead I just choked on it, sputtering out my response.

"No, we're not...no...we're just...no. Never." I stammered. "I'm not...no...he's not...never...no."

"What she means is, we're just friends." Hayden said as he shook his head, rolled his eyes, and patted me on the back.

"Right." Kaya nodded, eyeing me. "Okay, there Mel?"

"Yeah." I cleared my throat. "We're just friends. Good _friends_."

"I was just wondering. You seem really close." Hermione said.

"It's alright. We get that all the time." Hayden joked, throwing an arm over my shoulder.

I rolled my eyes, and pushed his arm off. "We do not. But that old lady did believe you were my brother."

"Brother?" Kaya frowned, "When was that?"

"That time when you last me the price of a steak dinner." Hayden accused.

"It wasn't her fault, I was right." I replied.

"Uh, yes it was." Hayden corrected, "It was a bet about her."

"What bet about me?" Kaya exclaimed.

"Well, yeah--but you didn't have to disagree with me...So it's your own fault you didn't win." I corrected, ignoring the fact that Kaya had spoken.

"No, no, no. From what I remember, you just bet me on it. I couldn't back down from a bet." Hayden said, challenging me.

"It's not my fault they're completely predictable!" I responded.

"Predictable?" Cam frowned.

"Are they always like that?" I heard Hermione ask Kaya.

"Yes." Kaya answered immediately.

"No." I corrected, eyeing Kaya--who only laughed. "We're not."

"We have random bouts of bickering--but it's all fun." Hayden explained.

"That's good. If you're just playing around." Hermione smiled.

"I wish the fights between you and Ron were like that." Harry murmured quietly, then looked shocked as all eyes fell on him. He quickly stood and muttered a quick response. "I should check on Ron."

Harry disappeared up the stairs before another word could be spoken. Hermione watched the stairs for a moment before turning back to us. She shook her head and let out a breathy sigh.

"I'm sorry, but I should go..." Hermione replied, as she began to get up.

"Is he usually that...uh, _jumpy_?" Kaya tentatively asked.

"Not usually." Hermione answered, "But recently he's been...well quiet and--in a way--secretive. He's not very open anymore."

"That's okay." I said. "It was nice meeting you."

"You too." Hermione agreed. She gave a small smile and took the same route up the stairs as Harry had just minutes before.

Once she was gone, Kaya turned to me, "What do you think about that? They came to us."

"It wasn't exactly the 'on my own terms' I had in mind but I guess it will have to do." I sigh glancing at the stairs again.

"He looked uncomfortable." Hayden replied suddenly. "What could have made him feel that tense?"

"I don't know." I responded, with one last look at the stairs before turning back to my table.


	23. On The Express

A/N: I can't believe I started this fic almost a year ago. I'm not even halfway through it. Maybe a third. Anyway. I have this chapter and one other written so far. Hopefully I'll continue with better time now. I know where it's going and how long it's going to be, etc., etc. So here's chapter twenty three, the next chapter after this will be in Harry's POV. So Read & Reveiw. Thanks. -Mac

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

**On The Express**

We're off to Hogwarts today. Officially, I mean. We're actually getting on board a train today that is going to take us to Hogwarts. We're actually going to be stepping into that castle to start our year. It's actually happening, _today_.

We got up extra early to finish packing up all our things. Kaya loaded Gaf into his basket and sat it up near the door. I dropped a couple of loose clothes into my trunk and placed a few more of my supplies on top. I grabbed a couple of my new books and slipped them in the side. I walked away from my trunk to gather the rest of my things from around the room.

This entire time I was basically tuning Kaya out. Ever since Hermione and Harry had popped in for a nice little hello, Kaya had not been able to shut up about it. She had brought it up a million times since that morning. I know she's my best friend, but if she wasn't annoying enough as it was...This morning was no different. She had started into it this morning almost as soon as we got up.

"It was surprising, that's all." Kaya replied. "What do you think you're going to do about it? I mean, we're going to do about it? I mean, we're going to be seeing him--them--all the time. Are you going to change anything?"

I ignored her question and kept on packing as if she had never spoken. Instead of taking my silence as a hint to stop talking, she took it as my permission to keep talking.

"Because I would do somthing if I were you. You haven't talked to them once since they came to you." Kaya continued, "They must be at least a little interested, or just extremely curious, either way...If you let drop from their lives, they'll lose interest."

"Was I ever really a part of their lives? I've only met them once." I responded.

"Of course!" Kaya nodded. "But you didn't answer my question..."

"I answer questions when I think they deserve an answer." I replied.

"Why didn't my question deserve an answer?" Kaya frowned, sounding offended.

"Because you've asked me the same question a million times this week!" I exclaimed in exasperated, as I accidentally slammed my trunk closed, frustrated.

"Well, sorry for trying to be a concerned friend." Kaya scowled.

"There's a line between concerned and _obsessed._" I said."You crossed it."

Kaya stopped talking for a few moments enough for me to finish packing in peace. Then she started up again. I find it absurd that she can talk that long and still find new things to say. I sat on top of my trunk and tried to block out her words. It was getting really annoying...very quickly. Kaya continued to pack as she talked--like everything was on autopilot. Pick up clothes. Fold. Put in trunk. Mention Harry and Hermione. Repeat. Multiple, multiple times.

As Kaya was about to finish up, she paused for a second and I took advantage of it, "Kaya, Kaya please stop. I don't want to make a big deal out of this. I want everything to happen naturally. I don't want it to feel planned out, it wouldn't be right."

"But, Mel...it is a big deal." Kaya responded.

"I know it is. But _you_ are making it bigger than it already is."

"I am not."

"Yes, Kaya, I'm sorry but you are." I shook my head, "If they hadn't taken the initiative, I still wouldn't have spoken to them yet. Remember the whole 'on my own terms' deal, well I haven't quite gotten there yet. So please let it be. It'll work out just fine in time, I promise."

"But..."

"No. No buts." I replied, cutting Kaya off. "Just let it happen. Sometimes you have to give fate a little more credit."

After that Kaya didn't mention it much. I was grateful. At least, I could keep my sanity for all that much longer. Once Kaya was finished packing, we dragged our trunks with us down the hall to pick up Cam and Hayden. We were hoping the boys would be punctual because of how important the day was, but as usual they weren't. When we arrived at their room, Hayden was still in his pajama pants, his hair ruffled from sleep and Cam was dressed but seriously behind in his packing. We stepped inside, pulling our trunks in after us.

I could hear Kaya clucking at Cam as she scolded him on his tardiness. I turned on Hayden. My eyebrows raised on their own accord. I was sure he could read the question in my eyes. His reaction was evidence enough.

He threw his hands int he air in mock surrender. "Cam broke our alarm, it's not my fault."

"Move. Faster." I muttered. "We will not be late on account of you two. I will leave you both here. Our term doesn't start for a week back home--time enough for you to get back if I have to leave you behind."

"I'm moving! I'm moving!" Hayden exclaimed, "See? _See_, I'm moving! Cam get moving, let's go."

Their progress doubled and soon they were dressed and their trunks were completely packed. Once they were done we left the room and headed for the stairs. When we got down to the main floor of the Leaky Cauldron it was nearly empty. There were a couple of people sitting at tables eating breakfast. I saw the boys glance longingly at the food on one of the strangers' plates.

"Come on, we'll get something on the train." Kaya gestured them out the door and onto the street.

Getting to the station was fairly easy. We traveled in a muggle cab to King's Cross. We pulled up in front of the building, I paid the driver and we all got out. Hayden and Cam loaded all our trunks onto carts and we rolled them with us as we headed for our platform. There was still some time left before the Express was due to leave, but we didn't have too much to spare.

"So how do we get onto this platform again?" Hayden asked again. Obviously the idea of willingly walking--or running, your choice--into a walk was not easy to grasp.

"Straight ahead." I answered simply as the barrier between platforms nine and ten came into view. Hayden still looked horrified, so I added. "Calm down. Just follow me."

I glanced around to be sure no one was watching too closely, then set off at a brisk pace straight at the barrier. I felt the change in atmosphere almost instantly as I stepped onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. I looked up at the brilliant crimson train, and smiled slightly to myself. We were so close...

It was a few minutes before I found Hayden stumbling through looking as if he had been pushed. He was followed shortly by Kaya and Cam.

I frowned. "What took so long?"

"We had to shove him through, that's what took so long!" Kaya exclaimed. "For being a fearless rebel, you're quite a wimp!"

"Who would actually want to walk themselves into a brick wall? Huh? Hayden questioned, "Who?"

"Everybody but you, buddy." Cam laughed and patted Hayden on the back.

"Okay, let's just get on the train." I shook my head and sighed.

"We got to find a compartment before they die fill up." Kaya replied.

We lugged all of all of our trunks onto the train and began to search for an empty compartment. Most of the compartments were already packed full of people. As we neared the back of the train we found a compartment that was nearly empty--it wasn't quite my first choice but it was all we really had. I just knew Kaya was going to love this.

Kaya looked into the compartment window when I hesitated, "There's room in there...oh! This is perfect!"

What did I say? I took a breath. "I don't see how this is perfect."

"We get to spend the entire train ride with them. It'll give you a chance to get to know them." Kaya reasoned.

"Well, I wasn't planning on spending the train ride with _them_. I was hoping to have logical conversation with my friends about how to handle my situation."

"I have a logical suggestion." Hayden replied, kind of raising his hand to get my attention. I smiled softly.

"What is it Hayden?" I asked.

"We should sit with them." Hayden suggested. "You'll be in a better position if you become friends with him or his friends."

"Plus..." Cam added. "There's no other compartments with enough room to fit all of us. And I for one would not like to be separated."

"Fine." I sighed, "Let's get this over with."

I placed my hand on the compartment door and slowly pushed it open. I stepped in, and being the polite person I am, I said, "Mind if we sit here?"

A/N2: So, I finally started to get alerts. I got like a chunk of thirty to forty yesterday (in random order too). And I just watched the movie the Covenant. I like it. The music was cool. (the plot could have used a little work, but whatever). My absolute favorite line of all time is when Reid says "Harry Potter can kiss my ass!" hehe. Anyway Review now please! I would love you for it...I need feedback! Feedback Love! hehe...Thanks. -Mac


	24. Do I Mind?

a/n: new chappie! I just got my nails done so if there are any typos or anything I blame them. lol. so just let me know if you see any mistakes i'll try and fix them. did you notice i barely used caps, it's cause i don't feel like do it with my nails right now. anyhoo. enjoy. r&r. thanks. -Mac

disclaimer: don't own harry.

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

**Do I Mind?**

**Harry's POV**

"Mind if we sit here?"

The voice broke into my thoughts and drew my attention to the entrance to the compartment. It was her. She had plagued my thoughts in the last few days, more so than anything esle had in my entire lifetime. I made the mistake of mentioning that small fact to Hermione not even a day or two ago. Sure, she is the most understanding of my friends, but she only took enough time on this to tell me it was absurd. But no matter how absurd it is, no matter how _unusual_ it is, it is there and for some reason I have this insatable curiosity about her. I couldn't control it. I didn't understand it. But it was there and I was trying to accept that it wasn't going away. But her presence was making it really hard.

Everytime I see her I am hit with this odd tumult of questions, dashing around in my head. I know that I won't be able to get past it until I answer every one. I don't know how I know that, it's just a feeling that I have. But everytime I see her it just gets worse. The questions come faster, they haunt me for hours. Their intensity grows stronger, they have a different depth. They are questions I couldn't bring myself to ask even my closest friends, yet I have to literally bite my tongue to keep myself from blurting them out the second she comes into view. She has a strange effect on me and I don't know if I should embrace it or run from it.

All this and I don't even know her.

The one glimpse I had into her life, I cut short when I said too much. I spoke before I could stop myself. I let slip the one flaw I found with my two best friends. I said it out loud after silencing that little blip of a feeling for years. I silence all of my feelings. I push them down, lock them away. _Never_ speak of them. But five minutes in her presence and they begin to bubble up, rising in my throat until they grace the tip of my tongue, and I have only the slightest second to bit them back before I verbalize them, revealing them to the world.

I don't want to do it. I'm very comfortable with hiding my feelings. I don't need share that part of myself. But she draws it out of me. I don't know how, but she does. I don't know if I like it or not.

It wasn't a horrid feeling. When I had commented that last time before I ran from the room, I had felt like a little burden had been lifted off my shoulders. It felt a little freeing. But, I couldn't go spilling secrets left and right, that's why I ran.

_My breath was coming out in pants by the time I had climbed the stairs and entered my room at the Leaky Cauldron. Once I was out of their sight I had ran so fast, I couldn't believe it. I had said I was going to check on Ron, but that wasa lie. I had passed his room sometime on the way to mine. Hermione would be looking for me soon after, to make it easy for her to find me--as I knew she would--I left my door unlocked and partially open. I sat on my bed silently ticking off the seconds until she turned up._

_Sure enough, barely a minute or so later, Hermione came bursting in through my door. "Why did you have to run off?"_

_"I don't know! It wasn't my idea in the first place! Did you think I wanted to go up to a bunch of complete strangers and start asking them personal questions?" I exclaimed._

_Hermione scowled. "I did it for _you_!"_

_"Wasn't exactly what I wanted, Hermione." I argued._

_"She's just an ordinary girl, there's nothing special about her." Hermione said. She didn't understand why I was going mad over this._

_Even though my head was screaming 'yes she is too special', I agreed. "I know."_

_"Then what is this?" Hermione gestured wildly around herself and me._

_"I don't know." I sighed. "Temporary insanity."_

After that day, I had seen them many times. Each time I did, I tried my best to not voice my curiosity. Though I had my slips. I kept trying to think of other things, but I couldn't concentrate. If Ron knew what kept passing through my head, he'd call it obsession. But Ron's definition of obsession and mine are quite different.

Now they were standing right in front of me, once again, and I still didn't know what to do.

I shook myself from my thoughts and back into reality. It had been only a moment, but Melanie was waiting for an answer. Ron and Ginny, who sat across from Hermione and me, looked at us with confusion on their faces. They didn't know the intruders. Hermione turned to me as well, hinting that it was up to me. As if I could turn them away. When we arrived at the station the compartments were practically full. I didn't fell like being responsible for splitting them up.

"Of course, you can sit here." I finally answered.

"Hurry up, Ron, Ginny...Come over here, make room." Hermione spoke up, and Ginny instantly switched seats. Ron hesitated, but finally moved, grumbling the entire time.

Melanie and the rest of them filed in, taking the seats across from us. I fell silent and Hermione took the opportunity to introduce Ron and Ginny to them. Ginny warmly welcomed them, shaking each off their hands in turn. She smiled brightly at each of them, trying to make the best impression. Ginny liked meeting new people. Ron on the other hand barely glanced in their direction.

I watched Melanie and her friends as they took in Ginny. Melanie had a content smile plastered across her face. Her friend Kaya looked happy as well as she chuckled over Ginny's enthusiasm. The boys looked a little more comfortable after the welcomimg gesture.

I watched Melanie's smile falter for the slightest second after Ron's reaction to them. Kaya frowned, but got over it in a moment. Cam and Hayden exchanged a knowing look and then each looked at Melanie. I could decipher what passed between the two in that moment, but I don't think I needed to.

After the brief introductions, the entire compartment fell into silence. I fell back into earlier thoughts. Even as the train lurched into movement, all was quiet.

Since the day we first officially met them, Hermione and Ron still hadn't gotten back on good terms. Likewise, Ron was still angry with me for siding with her. He wouldn't even be sitting with us if Ginny hadn't forced him to. Ron was in an unending bad mood, and it was reflecting as anger and rudeness toward Melanie and her friends.

I didn't understand it. They seemed nice enough. I didn't know them very well yet, but they seemed like good-natured, trustworthy people. In appearences, at the very least.

As the silence dragged on. I watched as Kaya and Hayden, who sat on either side of Melanie, inched closer to her. While she seemed to be the unspoken leader of the group, the rest seemed fiercely protective of her. I find that kind of loyalty somewhat breathtaking. However uncharacteristic of myself that may be. My friends have a strong loyalty to me and I know it. I know it very well. Hermione has been by my side through so much--and Ron's as well. But sometimes I've seen Ron's loyalty falter. I mean, he's a great friend and I don't know what I would do without him and Hermione, but his tendency to overreact, lose his temper and become insanely jealous sometimes clouds his loyalty.

See, when I look at Melanie and her friends I see the way they treat each other. And maybe it's unconsious, and maybe it's not, but they seem to be the type that would do absolutely anything for one and other with no questions asked, no thought toward the consequences. They seem to be the type that they would be there for each other no matter how they felt toward each other at the moment. While Hermione is definitely the same type, I have felt deserted by Ron in some of the moments when I needed him most. I don't even know what I'm going on about. I don't even know these people.

Melanie squirms in her seat. She looked uncomfortable in the silence. I've always hated this kind of silence. It seeps in and suffocates you, choking off your breath. It makes you desperate for the smallest sound. And I saw it in her eyes, she was searching out that sound. I longed to say something, just to ease her--make her comfortable--but I couldn't bring myself to speak.

So I gave up trying. I gave in to the silence.

Even as the hope arose that the silence wouldn't last the entire train ride, I knew that it wouldn't be the case. As I glanced at each of the faces of the occupants of the compartment, I realized not one of them would muster up the courage to speak--myself included. The silence was going to drag on for the entire ride, I could tell. Hours, I don't think I've sat around quiet for that long, like this.

I shifted in my seat, trying to get comfortable, though I knew it was doubtful that I would. I looked toward Hermione and I could tell she was trying to think of the right thing to say, something appropriate for the moment. But nothing seemed to be coming. I saw her shoulders slump slightly as she gives up. I lean back in my seat, giving up as well.

This is going to be the longest trip to Hogwarts I'm going to ever experience. Sounds cheerful, doesn't it?

So maybe I don't mind all that much that they sit with us. Of course this couldn't get more awkward or uncomfortable unless Ron suddenly sprouted bunny ears and started to dance around singing the sorting hat's song. But I somehow found _her_ presence the slightest bit soothing. Just being here in front of me, makes me feel a little at ease. My problems seem to dissapate a little. Granted they are replaced with the problems she causes me. Like this blasted silence. Yet, those don't seem half as bad...

Because they can be solved, I know it. I just don't know _how_ yet.

I lifted my head to see Melanie lean closer to Kaya and whisper something. Kaya shrugged and looked to Cam on her other side. Then Melanie turned and looked directly into my observing eyes. She spoke, breaking the silence.

Her comment was directed to Hermione, but her eyes never left mine. "Hermione, do you think you could show me to Professor McGonagall when we arrive at Hogwarts? We're supposed to meet with her, but I haven't the faintest idea who she is."

"Of course I can. She is the head of Gryffindor. She teaches Transfiguration." Hermione responded. Melanie finally looked away fromme as she turned to Hermione with a smile.

"Thanks." Melanie replied. "So Ginny, you're a fifth year? My sister's the same age as you..."

After that the conversation picked up. The absentminded chatter fililng the once still compartment. Ron, though, just tilted his head away from the rest as if to say he had no part of it--so no one had better accuse him of it. I remained silent, only to continue observing. I watched Melanie's face light up as she laughed at something she and Ginny had been talking about.

Did I mind? No, not in the slightest.


	25. A Sorting, Sort Of Thing

**A/N: And another chapter is posted. So, this is back to Melanie's POV. Only to touch on a few things before I start...I know it is highly unlikely that they would all be sorted into Gryffindor, that's how I wanted it to be. I feel like I'm moving so slowly with this story but I keep getting stuck...I don't know...I have it all planned out chapter by chapter but I keep getting distracted by my other projects...Anyway, R&R! Thanks! -Mac**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

**A Sorting, Sort of Thing**

"Interesting." I murmured as we stepped off the train at Hogsmeade staion.

We were dressed in our Hogwarts garb, black robes and plain gray ties--that is until we are sorted when they'll take our house colors. Kaya and Cam stepped further into the rapidly growing crowd on the platform as Hayden and I followed. Hayden had a protective arm over my shoulders and he kept it there. Kaya turned around to look at me, skeptically.

"Interesting? Just interesting?" Kaya exclaimed. She looked about ready to throw her hands in the air in frustration. I found it funny that she was more absorbed in this thing than I was. She stepped closer to me and lowered her voice, "That could very well be the love of your life and that's all you can say? _Interesting_?"

"Yes." I said nonchalantly, but with my voice firm.

Hayden tightened his hold on me, and in an attempt to lighten the mood replied in a dreamy voice, "Well it was interesting, wasn't it?"

"Let's just find a carriage." I groaned and shook my head. "You're impossible, Parker."

"Right back at you, Eldens." Hayden smirked.

We followed the crowd in the general direction of the castle. Our directions were clear. We were to travel to the castle with the rest of the older students. Then we would meet with the Deputy Headmistress to be sorted. After we were sorted, we would take our seats at the appropriate tables and wait for the first years to be sorted. As we came up to the line of carriages, we started to look for an empty one to accomidate all of us.

Kaya was the first to spot one and she climbed in quickly, claiming it. Cam and Hayden followed her in a moment later. I was about to step in after them when I heard it. I whipped around to look in the direction it was coming from.

"Melanie! Melanie wait! One moment please. Excuse me, excuse me! I need to get through, thank you. Melanie!"

Making her way through the thick crowd, came Hermione rushing toward us. She took care not to push anyone too hard as she weaved a path toward us. I stepped back down to the ground to wait for her. Hayden poked his head out the carriage door after me, just as Hermione arrived in front of me, before sitting back.

"Hey, Hermione. Is something wrong?" I asked, with a smile.

Hermione struggled to catch her breath before she responded, "No, nothing is wrong. You asked me to show you to McGonagall. I thought it would be easier for me to ride up to the castle with you."

"What about your friends?"

"Harry and Ron are sharing a carriage with a couple of boys from our year." Hermione said, "And Ginny joined her friend Luna."

"Oh, well it's very kind of you. You're welcome to join us." I smiled gesturing her in.

Hermione returned a smile and climbed into the carriage. I follered her in, closing the door behind me. Kaya, Cam and Hayden greeted her warmly and then we fell into silence. Even after the carriage began to move, to travel up to the castle, we were still quiet. It wasn't that bad. It wasn't awkward or tense...just quiet.

Very quiet.

I was about to say something just to ease the silence, when the carriage came to a halt. We filed out and started to walk toward the castle. My eyes were drawn upward as I took in the magnificent castle, reaching into the heavens and grasping at the dark skies. I smiled at the beauty of it.

"That's the same look everyone gets." Hermione responded, smiling at me.

"Oh." I blushed, shaken from my thoughts. "Yeah, it's just beautiful."

"I think so too." Hermione nodded in agreement as we stepped through the doors into the entrance hall.

I looked all around me as I moved further in. Kaya, Cam and Hayden shuffled closer to me, as the crowd went one way and Hermione led us another. Standing at the foot of a large staircase, was a stern looking woman. She stood straight and tall. Her hair was twisted into a neat bun. Hermione led us right up to her.

"Melanie, this Professor McGonagall." Hermione introduced me to the woman.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Professor." I smiled in acknowledgement.

"Miss Eldens, I presume?" McGonagall replied.

"Yes, I'm Melanie Eldens. This is Kaya Lawrence, Cam Osman, and Hayden Parker." I responded.

"Wonderful." McGonagall said, but the expression on her face did not portray 'wonderful'. "You're right on time. Thank you Miss Granger, I'm sure you've been quite helpful. You may enter the Great Hall with the rest of the students now."

Hermione nodded before turning toward me. "Bye Melanie. Good luck."

I smiled as she walked away. She entered the Great Hall with the last of the students trickling in. When I turned back to McGonagall, she started to explain about how we were to be sorted. A few moments after the doors to the Great Hall closed we would enter separate from the first years and get sorted. Once we were seated the first years would enter, get sorted and we would carry on with the feast.

We waited patiently for the doors to open. Kaya was standing next to me, with Cam and Hayden behind us respectively. Kaya reached over and gave my had a small squeeze. I gave her a small smile in return and squeezed back, just before the doors were thrown open.

We entered in a formal, dignified manner, keeping our pace as we folllowed McGonagall into the Great Hall. I could feel every pair of eyes turn to watch us, but I kept my gaze forward. From what I understood, we were the first students to transfer _in_, in a long time. Near the front of the hall, sittin on a little stool was a ragging looking hat: The Sorting Hat. When we reached the front we spread out in a single line running sideways. I was flanked by Kaya and Hayden, with Cam on Kaya's otherside. McGonagall stood straight behind the stool, observing us.

"When I call your name, please step forward to be sorted." McGonagall stated, and we nodded in understanding. "Eldens, Melanie."

I took a deep breath before moving forward. I stepped up until I was right in front of McGonagall, then I turned to face the hall. I felt McGonagall place the hat on my head before I head the little voice whispering in my ear.

"You have secrets you've yet to reveal...but your intentions are true. I see bravery and loyalty in you. Characteristics of a true Gryffindor." The voice sounded in my ear, contemplative. "But you're sly, cunning...you could hold your own in Slytherin...You're intelligent--very much so--characteristic of a Ravenclaw. And compassionate...Hufflepuff. Well rounded young lady now aren't you? But where to put you?"

I listened intently. I knew where I wanted to be place, but I didn't dare speak out loud. I just waited for the hat to make it's decision.

"You know what you want, don't you? You have a history at Hogwarts...I know right where to put you now...GRYFFINDOR!"

I smiled as the hat was removed. I gave my friends a reassuring nod as I made my way toward the empty cluster of seats at the Gryffindor table. I sat down gracefully and turned to watch as they were sorted.

The hat didn't take that long to have Kaya and Cam join me at the Gryffindor table. But there was a long silence when the hat was placed on Hayden's head. The Sorting Hat seemed to be in a conflict on where to sort Hayden. I knew exactly why. Finally after longer than seemed usual, the hat called out its choice.

"Gryffindor!"

Hayden smiled as he headed for our table. As he sat down with the rest of us he replied, "I told you I wasn't evil!"

"Kaya, pay up." I said making a beckoning gesture in her direction. We had made the bet earlier that week. Kaya was sure he'd be in Slythering, but I had my doubts. He was too loyal.

Kaya groaned, but handed over the few coins anyway. "Fine."

"What?! You bet on which house I was going to be put in? You thought I was evil?" Hayden scowled at Kaya, then turned to me. "Tsk, tsk. I can't believe you."

"What? The odds _were_ in my favor." Kaya huffed.

"Just proves I know him better." I laughed.

The first years began to enter not long after that. McGonagall began to call out names and the empty spaces at the tables began to fill up. The Headmaster, Albus Dumbledor--as if we didn't know who he was--said a few words before the feast began. It was mostly words of caution about the situation this world was in and a list of forbidden products (all of which Hayden carried with him in his trunk). The food was delicious and our conversation remained light.

At the end of the night, Dumbledore rose again to dismiss all the students and have the prefects lead the first years and new students to the dormitories. We stood with the rest of our table and followed Hermione, Ron and the other prefects to Gryffindor Tower. And as we walked there, we talked a little about what we thought it was going to be like.

"I think we're going to have a lot of fun here." Hayden replied, looking mischievious.

"Maybe he does belong in Slytherin." I joked, laughing lightly.

"What? Lose faith in me already?" Hayden replied, throwing an arm over my shoulders.

"Never." I smiled, my voice sincere.

"Good." Hayden nodded softly. "Now what are we going to do about this 'friend' of yours?"

"You're not going to start on this too, are you? I get enough form Kaya." I groaned. "Really you guys. It's enough. Let's just get settled, _then_ I'll figure it out. Okay? Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

Kaya and Hayden nodded and dropped the conversation. Maybe they believed me, maybe they didn't. The truth was I wasn't sure, but I think that's how it should be. It should be something I needed to figure out as I went along. It just seemed like I was having the same conversation over and over again. I needed to put a stop to it before I went crazy. Because that might harm my chances.


End file.
